The Catalyst
by Kristen.Nicole.73
Summary: The old gods have begun to stir and the whole world will begin to crumble once Zork manages to piece together enough power. A new girl appears in Domino w/ a new item. things start to fall apart. Or is it into place? how will Our legendary hero's handle protecting what they hold dear when everything they knew is turned upside down? SK/OC YY/YM YB/RB Graphic depictions of adult...
1. Chapter 1

Kry: Okay so this story starts in Kyrri's POV but it will jump through four major characters every chapter, Kyrri, Seto,Yami, Bakura and Jou. This starts during Yugi and Jou's senior year and Seto has graduated already. Also Mokaba is a freshman because he tested out of Middle School. This is post waking the dragons, but the whole Egypt thing never occurred. Yami still feels dissatisfied without his memories and Seto keeps having strange dreams involving Pharaoh Atem and a strange but beautiful girl who was captured by a thief in the night. But some of this will be braotched in later chapters... so basically enjoy!

Chapter One: The nothing of the World

Kyrri's P.O.V.

I leaned against the dingy yellow wallpaper and sighed lifting my half empty water bottle and downed the rest in a few quick gulps. Looking around the room I noted that though I had fit all of my furniture that I didn't have much space left in the room. Only about a foot, maybe a few more inches than that between my bed and desk and my chest of drawers that took up the whole other wall.

I stood up and dusted my hands on the ridiculously short blue skirt that was part of my school uniform. I mean come on who designs these things, some old pervert? I pushed my long bangs out of my face and tucked it behind my ear. Looking around once more to make sure that everything was in its respective place and nodding to myself.

"This will have to do. As if it matters..." I spoke softly to myself, a habit of mine these days. It was something I did to make sure I could still talk, for it seemed that lately I could go days upon days without speaking at all. Even to myself so I tried to make sure to strike up a conversation with me, myself, and I now and again. One of the reason I kept away from normal people as well, even though I hated to admit that I wanted affection I hated attention. I wasn't making any sense so I shook the thoughts away and grabbed my obnoxious pink jacket that went with the super mini skirt.

I pulled my back pack on and left my room making sure I locked my door on the way out. The lock was the first thing I bought when me and my father arrived in town two days ago. He had immediately opened a 30 rack of beer and began drinking in _'celebration' _ of our successful move. Halfway around the world mind you, to Domino Japan. The only reason I had even heard of that was because I liked duel monsters and Domino was dueling capitol of the world. So I guess you could say there was a part of me that was a little excited, but that didn't matter because my father and I never stayed in one place for too long.

I walked down the hall of my small new home. The wallpaper was ugly in every room, but was worse in my room where it looked like my aunt who lived here before smoked for a a few decades. It even smelled bad in there, like old socks and aging smoke. I rounded the corner entering the living room to find my father passed out drunk on the couch. _'Typical, he didn't even unpack the boxes before he began his binge drinking.'_ I frowned and grabbed a trash bag out of the kitchen and started picking up the several beer cans that littered the carpet. Once I thought it was semi acceptable I left sparing no last minute glances at my father as I locked the front door behind me just as I had done with my bedroom.

Begging my journey to school I pulled out my iPod and placed my headphones in my ears. Once I had it turned on shuffle I stuck it back in my pocket and turned left on the sidewalk to embark on my walk. It didn't take me long to reach the school, I had mapped my path out the previous day to make sure I wasn't late to my first class. It looked like I had gotten here a little early, almost no one was here so I walked inside and found the office. Inside behind a mahogany desk that was littered with papers was a tiny old lady. Her wrinkles made her face look like a pug and I couldn't see if her eyes were opened or closed. She suddenly saw me standing there and a gentle smile broke across her small face.

" Hello dear how can I help you today?" She asked gesturing for me to take a seat in one of the wooden chairs. I sat and pulled my transcripts from my previous school out of my backpack and handed them across the table to her.

" My name is Kyrri I'm transferring here from America." I struggled through my Japanese as I spoke quietly, I was never loud having learned better. I looked down while she looked over my transcripts. She flipped through the papers and once in a while nodded her head in approval.

" Ah yes, Miss Rutherford, your transcripts are impeccably flawless. Never had a grade belo see. That's good. Did you have your schedule in mind at all?" She asked looking at me while opening a program on the computer on her desk.

"Well I was in all advanced classes before. What classes will lead to my best opportunities?" I asked folding my hands in my lap and pulling an 'all business' look. If it was possible her smile widened even more reaching well across her face. I began to feel uncomfortable. Was there really that much to smile about? It seemed far fetched that she was simply happy because I was serious about my future. I shifted in my seat and reached a hand up to brush my hair behind my ear. Why am I nervous?

" Actually we have a wonderful curriculum for gifted students. There is a calculus and trig mesh for more the more talented few or you have enough credits to not have to take the class at all, and for seniors there is zoology, and English literature and language, and world history." She finished her speech and took a huge breath.

" Are there electives?" I asked frowning. She opened the drawer of her desk and pulled out a piece of paper handing it to me. I looked over the paper, a list of after school programs that partnered with the school. There was a lot to choose from but immediately my eyes fell upon Art at 1901 6th avenue in the east district of town. A two hour class on Wednesdays and Mondays only. I could do that, but I needed something else to consume my time. There were a bunch of useless after school activities like dance and debate. None of that interested me really. At the bottom of the list wrote in ink unlike the printed list said ' Theory and method of business' strange.

"

How come this is inked in and not printed?" I asked running my fingers over the neat cursive. Something drew my eyes to hesitate over the words.

" Ahem, yes it is a program new to us this year. Mr Kaiba, the CEO of Kaiba Corporation. Mr. Kaiba started this for 'underprivileged youths' who normally would never get such a chance to intern for such a high rated company. He planned to take on three interns, but nobody has signed up yet so..." She trailed off with a strange look on her face but I wasn't interested enough to ask her why. Nobody else huh? Something like this could be just what I needed to get some hands on experience in the real world, and a great excuse to stay out later. Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Co. Second place duelist in the world. I forced the part of me that was exited to stay calm.

" Okay sign me up for that too." I said and handed her the paper back, her brows knit together and she nodded and started typing on her computer.

" I'll take the Calc and Trig too." I stated plainly and began to shuffle my feet together looking at the picture of a little sail boat floating peacefully on the crystal clear ocean. That is until a storm rages in and disrupts everything. I looked away back to my hands and tried to still my cryptic thoughts. A few painfully quiet minutes passed as I sat watching as my fingers curl and uncurl. The little woman cleared her throat to regain my attention. She held out a few papers.

" There is a map of the school and your schedule. The other papers have information for your after school activities. And your locker number and combination are written on the back of your map. Is there anything else I can do for you?" She spoke quickly and in almost one breath. I shook my head and retreated from the small office.

My schedule said that the first hour was homeroom for everyone and according to my phone class started about ten minutes ago. Looks like the office lady took more of my time that I thought.

The only thing I hated more than being the new kid in the middle of the school year was being forced to introduce myself to so many strangers. In the middle of senior year no less, it seemed unlikely that I would make any friends in the little amount of time I had left. But it I could just make it through the rest of the year and then to my birthday I could leave 'home' once and for all and never have to worry about the endless moves, the sleepless nights, or the smell of whiskey drowning out all other senses.

I shook my head again to clear my thoughts as I hesitated in front of the class room door that had the numbers 903 printed above the wooden frame in black. Did I really want to do this again even if it was hopefully the last time? Did I really want to start over once more?

" Well its now or never Kyrri." I whispered and with my new resolve I knocked a little louder than I had intended. Once the door opened to reveal a notably young blonde woman with bright green eyes, she blinked once. Twice, and then the door flew open as she smiled enthusiastically.

" Hello you must be our newest student." She greeted me kindly with a statement not a question. I nodded as she gestured for me to come in. I swayed awkwardly by the door as she turned to the class.

" Okay everyone, this our new exchange student all the way from America isn't that exciting! Well why don't you tell us something about you dear?" She smiled showing perfect teeth and round dimples and leaned against her desk slightly. I nodded again and looked to the floor my long bangs casting a shadow over my face and hiding the bright blush that invaded my skin.

" I... My name, my name is Kyrri Rutherford. I used to live in the States but my mother was Japaneses so I know most of the language But I'm not great at it. I am an artist, er... well an aspiring artist that is and that is about it. That's all there is too me." I stuttered through my introduction just as I had with every other introduction on every other first day at a new school I had ever had. A few students smiled at me warmly while others didn't even look up from their work. There were kids of different ages in the class, Homeroom I assumed was not separated by age as I knew the other classes would be.

" Yo Kye-chan come sit over here with us." Said a tall lanky blonde boy who's school uniform looked worn and dingy. Kye-chan? I had been called a lot of things, some names not so nice but never before had someone giving me a regular everyday nickname. I studied him for a moment unsure of what to do, He had light chocolate brown eyes that seemed a little mischievous as he smiled my way. Not seeing another empty seat I took the boys obvious advice and sat down next to him quietly.

" My name is Jonoichi but everyone here calls me Jou so your from the States huh? Whats it like over there, is there duel monsters over seas?" He asked with a goofy lopsided grin plastered on his cream colored face. He seems friendly enough, but this was territory that was uncharted for me. I wasn't used to talking to people. I talked to myself because I was all that I had. All there was that was dependable and safe. But I was also lonely and the opportunity to talk to another human being that was my age was so tempting.

" Of course there's duel monsters! Dueling is everything... almost everything" I started strong with a lot of enthusiasm but lost my nerve somewhere in the middle of the sentence and ended in almost a whisper. Shit. I'm so anti social. I cursed myself silently.

" Oh so you play?" He asked one eye brow raising slightly in surprise before a huge smirk made its way into his features.

" One does not just simply play Duel monsters." I stated smoothly Jou nodded his head in approval and chuckled lightly. For some strange reason this made me grin too, and not just grin but I felt it as my face against my will brightened. But even as this happened out of my control my red flags started to go up. What am I doing? Smiling, feeling, thinking. No I couldn't waste my time with such dangerous things as friendship.

" Jou, aren't you going to introduce us to your new friend?" A seriously short boy, taller than the lady at the office but still very small for a high school student walked up. He had spiky black hair and soft golden bangs, around his neck was an upside down pyramid. My eyes widened and for a moment I just stared at the object in shock. I quickly shook my surprise away. What was that about anyways...

" Oh well guys this is Kye-chan and Kye this is Yugi my long time best bud." he said grabbing Yugi by the shoulders in a light hug. Yugi smiled up at him and then extended his arm out to shake my hand. I took is and smiled too, I couldn't seem to help myself his cheerfulness slightly infectious.

" Nice to meet you Kyrri. How are you liking Domino so far?" He asked and Jou watched me attentively as well. I frowned slightly and shook my head.

"This is actually only my third day here. Me and my father moved her after my Aunt passed away and I've spent my time unpacking and organizing my room so I haven't had the time to explore the city yet." I said looking away quickly when both their faces shifted to pity. I hated pity more than anything.

" Oh no I'm so sorry to hear that are you okay?" Yugi asked concern lacing its way through his high pitched voice. What a strange boy. I forced myself to meet his sad eyes with a sneer on my face, unable to control my reaction to his warmhearted question.

" Whatever, I didn't know the bitch anyways." and I blew my hair out for my face in a 'huff'. Yugi's eyes widened slightly before his face melted into an even more sickly sweet smile. More pity! I was boiling under my skin but I forced myself to become calm and duck my head down so I could hide behind my thick layer of hair. With my face shadowed one single lonely tear slipped from my right eye. As if to purposefully betray my wishes, stubborn tear. When I dared t glance through the black curtain hiding my eyes Yugi and Jou's eyes were aimed at the ground where I saw one tiny droplet on the wooden floor.

I turned my head as fast as I could and sat promptly in my desk, within two second the bell signaling the end of class signaled. I jumped from my seat, bag already slung over my shoulder haphazardly and ran from the class room only catching the slightest of worried glances from Yugi.

My next class was an advanced math class. A calculus and trigonometry mesh. There was never a class like this in America, and I had been to plenty of schools in the last 7 year always opting to take the higher level education. Always looking for the next challenge.

Then was P.E and Lunch, so I didn't need any books besides my math for awhile. I quickly hunted down my locker and twisted the cheap lock until I had put in the proper combination that was written on the back of my class schedule.

I deposited my Zoology, English Lit and Language, and History book off with thin my Grey locker for later. Then I glanced at the map and hunted the fastest path to room A-3. I entered the class long before the bell was due to ring and made my way over to the teacher, a gruff looking man in his mid forties who seemed pretty matter of fact. Stereotypical for a math teacher. I handed him my slip from the office stating my enrollment into Domino High. He simply nodded and waved his hand over to the desk motioning for me to find a seat with out even giving me his name.

I choose the back left corner that was closest to the long windows that ran across the wall. Outside was a peaceful view, one I figured I would find myself loosing concentration within its vibrant frame frequently in my future. Forcing myself to look away and quietly watch the rest of the students file in the small class one by one.

Once everyone was seated and the bell had rang I exhaled quickly happy that I didn't share my most difficult class with those boys, Jou and Yugi who seemed a little too nosy for my comfort. Soon the teacher began to drone on about some difficult equation writing it down step by step on the white board, luckily for me he didn't seem to feel it necessary to publicly humiliate me and bring attention to me by having me introduce myself to the class. I put my full focus into my work taking neat and precise notes as I went. School was easy to focus on when my goals were in mind.

Kry: Chapter one revised! This was originally way longer, but I'm breaking most of my chapters down because I realized that they may seem a little intimidating 14,000 words in a chapter. I'm hoping to catch more peoples interest, So please review if you find any mistakes I missed or have any questions. I'm trying to tell this amazing story that I have been writing in parts and snippets over the years, I have it all planed and it is very close to my heart. But I worry that I may not be getting the events in the story to flow together. Well I hope everyone enjoyed it! Criticism absolutely accepted.


	2. Chapter 2

Kry: I don't own YuGiOh, though I wish I did. I own Kyrri and her story but that is it.

WARNING: This chapter has some very triggering content at the end. I warn that if you don't like sexual situation and abuse that perhaps you find another story, though I hope that some of you will give it a chance because I just know that this story is amazing if I can only get it together.

Jou's P.O.V.

I stood for a moment my gaze glued to the only exit from class. Just moments ago she had all but ran out of the room her bag squeezed to her chest tightly and a frantic look in her eyes. Who is _'her?'_ Kyrri, the new girl who had just arrived today. She was a little tall for a girl, almost as tall as I was with flowing black hair that reached her mid waist and the strangest most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. They were almost different from different angles or lighting for a moment the lightest pink and just as quickly as her mood had turned to sour her eyes had shifted darkly into a crimson red that was somehow familiar but I couldn't quite place it.

Finally my intense gaze drifted to the floor by her desk where I knew Yugi had witnessed just as well as I had a lone tear slip quietly onto the bamboo tile bellow. I exchanged worried looks with Yugi before we headed out to our next class Gym.

Today was basketball but I just couldn't seem to focus on the game, some small part of me was worried about this new girl soon, strange Yug must be rubbing of on me with all his good deeds ha!

Twenty minutes before class we were aloud a break, to wash up and relax before out next classes. I opted out on a shower having not gotten that dirty and choose instead to wipe myself with a damp cloth across the face and shoulders. I replied my deodorant and left the boys shower room to sit on the bleachers to wait for Yugi who was never very long in the showers. While I waited I thought about what all I had to do today, not including school I had work, even though Domino High school students weren't suppose to have jobs, I had special permission from the Principal-senpai's office to work due to my _'special circumstances '_ My father was, well to put it short a drunk. But that was old news and I found it easier to forget about such issues because I had such so many thing to keep me busy and good friend to make up for what I lacked at home.

" Jou, whats eating you?" Yugi suddenly asked as he appeared at my side sitting down. His face was still red from being so physical and his hair was disheveled slightly.

" Ah nothing Yug, just thinking about that new girl." I said honestly as I kept my gaze glued to the other side of the gym where a few boys talked in a small group.

" Oh, yea she seemed a little... sad." he finally said looking thoughtful as he placed his hand on the puzzle gently. No doubt speaking to his other half Yami. I stayed quiet allowing him to have his conversation. When his eyes unglazed and he returned his focus to me I nodded.

" Well we will just have to give her the full friend treatment. Too bad Anzu graduated last year she was way better at friendship speeches than us." Yugi and I laughed together but I knew he took this just a seriously as I did. That was kinda what we did, found other people like ourselves who needed a friend and we gave that to them. It was how things had been for years and even with half of our little group off in college now nothing had changed.

" Absolutely Jou. Now lets get to our next classes." he said while shaking my hand in a half high five half hand shake to seal the deal. No less than a second later the bell signaling it was time to head to our next class chimed and I laughed at how Yugi always seemed to know everything. I brushed thoughts of this new girl aside and headed to my next class with my best buddy in tow.

Kyrri's P.O.V.

My advanced Trig and Calc class was surprisingly a breeze, math had always been my strong point. I was good with numbers, they always stayed the same universally. Not like people who were fickle and changing all the time. I had finished all of my work sheet with some time to spare before the next class so I decided to take out one of my notebooks and draw.

At first nothing came to me and I merely let my pencil guide itself along the page. Half way through I realized I had drawn a building, an old building make of stone perched by a mighty river. I had even drawn on a hieroglyph. Or at least an tempt at one since I actually had no idea what they looked like. I scribbled in some seashells on the shore and two sets of small feet prints along the sandy shore. I made stars and a bright mood and shaded in the darkness on night. Just about the time the bell rang I had finished. Happy with my work I pulled a pen out of my pocket and signed my name in neat cursive in the bottom corner. I placed my note book back in my bag and stood after the bell had rang.

I found my way into P.E. Quickly and once again wasn't asked to introduce myself to my delight. The class passed quickly for me seeing as we were running track today. I liked to run, it helped me focus and calmed me down. The class ended a little too quickly for me, so I found myself sitting on the bleachers awaiting the final bell. The coach, a middle aged man named Mr. Saki strode over to me quickly. His hair was fading in contrast to his muscles making him look strange.

" You can shower in the girls locker room if you would like." He said as he looked down at me. I blushed and shook my head.

" No, I'm okay I didn't get that dirty anyways." I said and I hugged my bag tighter to my chest. He nodded curtly and turned his attention to another student who was trying to climb the basketball pole. He quickly ran off to scold the rebellious girl. I sighed happy to be by myself again. I had lunch next and I wasn't looking forward to being so crowded.

The bell finally rang and I slowly made my way through the halls to my locker where I could discard my bag and be on my way to the cafeteria silently. A few students gave me glances out of curiosity. But it seemed most of these Japaneses students were far less nosy that the kids in America.

" Kye-chan! I saved a place in line for you." As if on cue the nosiest person I had met all day popped into my vision and pulled me gently into the lunch line. I sighed but at least I wasn't in the back of the line. I gave Jou a critical look only making him smile more.

" Thank you Jonoichi." Even if I was annoyed I was nothing if not polite. He smiled again even brighter at my friendly words and placed his hand behind his head in a strange gesture of embarrassment.

" No problem, I was new here once too... a long time ago; but I know how rough it can be so consider me your first friend here at good ol' Domino High." He spoke kindly and he sounded truthful. I turned my gaze from his suddenly, afraid. I had never even tried to have a friend. Friends just complicated things for me, but I had never had someone proclaim so casually that I was their friend. It made my heart squeeze a little but I forced these warm feelings away as we reached the food.

Everything looked gross, but I choose a turkey sandwich with lettuces and tomato and pepper jack cheese and an apple. I continued to follow Jou not sure what else to do as he walked me over to a soda machine and got himself a sprite.

" Would you like a soda too?" he asked polity causing me to blush. I wasn't used to people offering me things and it made me nervous. I shook my head 'no' and looked to the floor. He chuckled.

" Look you don't have to worry about it. If its that big of a deal then just buy me one next time okay." he said as he put another yen in the machine leaving me option but to choose a drink as well. I had never had someone be so nice, and to think there was going to be a next time. I chose a Dr pepper in silence and followed him in suit to a lunch table where Yugi and some white haired boy sat.

" Kyrri, you already know Yug, but this is Ryou and Ryou this is Kyrri shes our honorary guest from now on." Jou's words made Yugi brighten up but this Ryou only looked at me strangely but otherwise stayed quiet. He wasn't being rude per say he just seemed shy and I couldn't blame him for that now could I?

" I'm so glad you decided to sit with us today Kyrri." Yugi was the first one to speak, he seemed so kind. I nodded and sat down my cheeks still scarlet red. I was not used to social settings and I knew I wasn't good at things like this.

" I didn't have much of a choice." I said quietly but I allowed a small smile to grace my lips as Jou sat down next to me. We were across the table from the other two boys. Yugi smiled back at me and we all settled down into a peaceful albeit it quiet lunch.

" So how are you liking your first day of school so far?" Yugi asked as he took a large bite of his burger. I scrunched my nose at his boyish behavior but still found it a little funny.

" Um it had been a day." I said nervously and then choose to take the first bite of my apple. I wasn't much of an eater, never seeming to have a big apatite so I decided to wrap my sandwich back in its wrapper and put it in by bag before my next class so I could eat it for dinner when I was hungry later. All the boys chuckled a little even the reserved Ryou. The conversation was kept light, what I liked and what classes I had. Eventually we settled on duel monsters. We talked strategy. Suddenly I realized something shocking standing suddenly and startling my lunch mates I slammed my palms down on the table enthusiastically.

" Your Yugi Mouto, the Yugi Mouto how could I have not noticed sooner?" My voice rose an octave and Yugi's eyes widened before he sweat dropped. Jou and Ryou out right laughed at their friend. I blushed noticing that a few other students were looking at me from their respective lunch tables. I quickly sat down and placed my hands in my lap.

" Sorry, I just realized and it took me by surprise. It is an honor to meet you." I bowed my head a little but Yugi just reached his hand across the table to place it on my shoulder gently having to stand to reach me.

" Please, don't worry about it, you are no different from me just because I hold a title." he spoke honestly and I was taken aback. This boy was so modest and kind how could he be the same man I had watch duel on television before. That man had seemed so strong and 'fierce' that is didn't seem to match the boy I looked at now. Once again my eyes drifted to the strange necklace he wore. It was Egyptian, that much I could tell it was his trademark; and it shared something with something I held dear. Under the table I puled my sleeve up slightly and glanced at my bracelet. The same eye was smoldered in gold in the center of the golden band that wrapped my wrist. But that was just a coincidence.

" Look we match." I realized I sounded a little childish even as I reached my arm up over the table, wrist still exposed to show the boys my prized possession. No one spoke eyes all locked on the two objects. I felt obliged to say something.

" It was my mothers. It's all I have of her." I wasn't sure why I was telling them this. I had never told another student that my mother wasn't alive but this seemed to shake Jou from his silence.

" I'm sorry Kyrri." he spoke looking me directly in the eyes, even as the other boys gazes were still trained to my wrist.

" _'Yugi'_ come with me." Ryou stood suddenly and turned without another glance and exited the cafeteria. His voice was so strange, so different and he had said Yugi's name with a strange emphasis. Jou's eyes widened and just as quickly he turned to me with a toothy grin.

" So do you have your deck?" He asked suddenly pulling out his own. I continued to stare where both boys had not left. Did I make them mad? I am so terrible at making friends. Wait, is that what I'm doing?

" Are they..." Jou interrupted me before I could finish as he began to shuffle his deck.

" Hey don't worry about it Ryou, can be... a little weird sometimes and its Yugi's job to mediate." he said I didn't completely buy it but I caught sight of his Red eyes black dragon and nearly swooned. I love dragons and tried to surround myself with them. I snatched the card up and examined it. He smiled smugly.

" You like er' huh? That there is my baby, this you can beat her?" he issued his challenge smoothy completely distracting me from my previous worries. I pulled my deck out of a case I kept attached to my belt and started shuffling it after I handed his card back.

" Challenge accepted Jonoichi. It's tome to duel." I smiled, probably my realist one all afternoon and for the first time was secretly glad I had choose to follow Jou to lunch table. I took a drink of my soda and drew my cards.

Bakura's P.O.V.

" What do you want tomb robber?" Yugi or should I say the Pharaoh demanded as we stopped in the hallway outside of the hellish lunch room where so many hormonal teenagers gathered for their food every damned day.

" As if you don't already know. That girl... She..." I didn't really know what to say. What was she exactly? Who was she and why did she have a millennium item I had though was long since destroyed. Why here and now in this place, what new threats threatened this peaceful world I had long since called home now that a new; rather a very very old item would resurface.

" I haven't the slightest idea about the girl. To be honest I have never seen that item, aren't there only seven items?" He asked sounding like a stupid child. Of course he wouldn't remember, having locked his own memories of such events away deep within his millennium puzzle. I liked having this advantage on the situation and was unsure of how much I wanted to divulge to the pharaoh.

" There are only suppose to be seven. This one was destroyed long ago." I choose to keep my suspicions about who this girl and who she might be to myself until I was completely sure. I could be mistaken but this was a mistake I wasn't willing to make. Besides why would I fill the pharaoh in anyways.

" If what you say is true then it obviously wasn't destroyed then." he spoke slowly, seeming to digest this information like he always did. I shook my head in disgust, I hated this man with such a burning passion. He ruined everything, brought a kingdom to its knees and the only person who had ever mattered down along with him. In a vain attempt to rectify his misdeeds he thought it was the good thing to do to destroy Egypt's beacon of innocence to lock himself and the darkness away. Becoming known as a hero of the ages. I spat on the floor suddenly and turned on my heel unable to even look at this monster anymore. For every misdeed I had done the pharaoh and his father before him had done a thousand times worse in the name of the 'greater good'.

" Bakura wait! I comrade you to tell me what you know." He shouted as I stepped into a shadowy part of the hallway. I turned an evil eye to him and sneered darkly.

" I am not one of your _'servants'_ and I work to my own will and destiny, don't you ever again attempt to control me _'pharaoh'_" He glared at me but I continues on my way, I had work to do. It wasn't hard to sneak out of the school and return to my hosts small apartment and into his room where in a shoe box under his bed I had hidden a stack of aging Egyptian tarot cards and sat down on Ryou's bed beginning my search for answers.

Kyrri's P.O.V.

School passed by in a blur after my duel with Jou. He had one but only just barley by 50 life points. I finished the rest of my classes and gathered my things at my locker. Jou came to find me making me smile a little.

" You want to come the the arcade today with me and Yugi?" he asked enthusiastically. I shook my head and brushed my hair out of my face and grabbed my back pack slinging it over my shoulder

" No I'm sorry I have to go to the Kaiba corporation building, I signed up for an interning class on 'business theory and method for the underprivileged youth'" I said chuckling a little at he absurd name. Jou's eyes widened a fraction and he put his hand behind his head to rub his neck.

" Oh wow working for Kaiba huh, good luck with that." he laughed and took pace beside me as I walked out of the hallway. I shook my head, was this Kaiba that bad? I knew he had a reputation of being a ruthless businessman.

" That bad?" I asked skeptically making him laugh ponce more as he thrust his hands into his pockets.

" Worse." he said it very matter o' fact and I gulped. Just what had I gotten myself into? Oh well, at least it would keep me out of the house and away from my father. We separated paths then as I turned left and he turned right. He waved and smiled and I saw Yugi some feet behind him looking at me critically with sharp eyes seeming so different that he had earlier at lunch. Then again he had left rather abruptly... after he saw my bracelet. It was obviously similar to his necklace.

_Just a flash of crimson red and blonde flashed before my eyes as I heard snickering. A boy dressed in white garments and adorned in gold ran in front of me at a high speed. I found myself launching after this boy at full pace. My legs were shorter than they are now, I felt as if I was younger. I could see my bracelet on my wrist as it always was. My bangs flew around my face._

_The boy turned towards me, spiky black hair mixed with blonde bangs and crimson eyes brightened as he smiled pleadingly at me._

" _Come on sis I'm sorry okay here you can have it back." and with that he tossed me a leather bound book filled with a strange paper I recognized somehow as papyrus. He gave me a grin, one of his teeth missing. He was maybe 9... 10 I wasn't sure._

" _Atem what were you thinking taking my things?" I asked sourly making him look down in shame. He shuffled his sandaled feet and pulled on a strand of his golden bangs._

" _I just wanted you to come out of your room and play. Ever since mother passed you have locked yourself away from everyone. Away from me even..." he looked so sad, his young face slightly red. I sighed and stepped forward until he opened his arms form me to comfortably rest my head on his shoulder. He was a little teller than me and he wrapped his arms around me._

" _I am sorry Brother, I will try harder this time." was all I said and the colors of the fire in the hallway and the moon shining through a lone window faded into darkness._

I was left standing on the sidewalk next to a busy street. Teenagers walked in every direction but my eyes were trapped in a scarily familiar crimson. His eyes didn't leave mine but were a little wider this time. I gulped and shook and my awkwardness then waved to Yugi as well and began my journey to Kaiba corp.

It didn't take me long to make it to my destination and soon I walked up the huge stairs that led to the front door of the building. There were two security guards that stood on each side of the glass doors but they said nothing as I walked by and into the lobby only giving me wary glances as I passed. I my eyes widened at the beautiful lobby, defiantly not what I expected, there was a fountain in the center and as I made my way closer I noticed the bottom of the crystal clear pool was littered with seashells. I smiled and made my way towards the receptionist desk.

" Do you have an appointment?" the secretary asked curtly without even looking at me. I faltered for a moment, was I suppose to schedule an appointment? Unsure I pulled the information from the school, and a permission slip for Mr. Kaiba to sign accepting my admission into the program.

" My name is Kyrri Rutherford I am here to sign up for the business theory and method program." I spoke as I held out the papers, she inspected them for a moment and then smirked.

" Ah yes go to the 49th floor and find Jacklyn she is Mr. Kaiba's personal secretary. She is the one you need to speak to." I nodded and scanned the room once more spotting the elevators in the right hand corner of the large room.

I stepped inside where there was an elevator boy. I had heard of them but never been in a building that actually had one. How silly, I smiled. Th music wasn't terrible, fine classical actually and the view was to die for. The walls of the elevator were glass and the building over lied the city line. I held my breath in awe.

" It does that to everyone the first time." the boy smiled and cast a fleeting look to our view once more. My ride up to the second to top floor was quiet after that. I stepped out to see another lavishly designed room. And made my way to an even nicer desk with a pretty woman sitting behind a large computer screen. I thought she hadn't seen me come in but she looked up right on cue and held her had out. I handed her my permission slip assuming that was what she wanted.

" Oh no this just wont do." She said and I looked up nervously, what had I already done to displease this woman. She stood and made a circle around me scanning my school uniform.

" The last thing Mr. Kaiba wants to look at is that uniform. I don't care what you wear besides this but make it respectable for Christs sake." She shook her head and I nodded my head.

" What days are you available?" She asked I was a little confused, wasn't this just an after school program?

" Monday's and Wednesday's because I have art class at a local college. Isn't this just an after school thing?" I asked as I shuffled my feet. She literally laughed at me down her nose and clicked her tongue in disapproval. I decided I didn't like her one bit.

"True that Mr. Kaiba is sponsoring the school with this program but you will be expected to work and very hard young lady, so yes you will be compensated." she spoke as she turned on her heel and swooped her hand across the room. There was a wall that was nothing but a book shelf and a staircase behind it. One was, like the elevator was a solid window with an amazing view and then there was another desk, it looked brand new and as if it didn't really belong in the office. I felt a lot like this desk, so new that I stuck out so much in Japan.

" This will be your desk, what was your name again?" She asked and pulled a clip board I hadn't noticed her carrying before to her chest.

" Kyrri Rutherford, and yours?"

" you may call me Azania." and then she turned around again swinging her hips as she strode back to her desk before she copied the paper work I had given her. She then asked for my student ID and SS# and we spent a few minutes filing out the appropriate paperwork.

" Here, you will receive your paychecks on this credit card, its linked to a special Kaiba Corp bank account and your first payment will be on there in a week next Monday." I nodded again and took the card in wonderment. This was not what I was expecting. Not that I wasn't happy, a job was a job.

" You will start Thursday since you have art." She handed me over an Kaiba Corp Employee pass that was attached to a lanyard. I looped it around my neck and then after a moment without her saying a word to me I left. I made my way back to the elevator, and inside it stood the man himself. Seto Kaiba in all his championship glory. But he didn't even notice that he wasn't alone in the elevator as he looked over the horizon as the sun sat in a brilliant array of colors. His eyes shined with the reflection from the glass and I swear for just that moment he didn't look like the intimidating CEO he was made out to be. I looked away quickly just as his gaze rose up to meet my own. I 'meeped' and ran out of the cramped area the boy who ran the controls just gave me an odd look.

I don't even know why I ran home so fast, and the whole way. Its not like I was ever in a rush to go home right? But for some unknown reason I just felt the undeniable urge to escape looking into my bosses eyes, or introducing myself and interrupting what was obviously a private moment. His gaze caught mine for just one second and I could hear rushing water in my ears and smell lavender. All these things terrified me for some reason and I simply ran away.

What a day this had been right from the beginning. But as I made my way up my front porch and twisted the nob to find it was unlocked I sighed. No doubt father had gone out, to a bar or to find trouble and booze. I locked the door behind me and surveyed the room. It was a terrible mess much worse that it was when I had left it this morning. I grabbed another trash bag and began picking up more beer bottles, some shattered but all empty of every last drop. Once I had all the trash I began sorting through boxes, I put some away without there begin a need to unpack them when father would just break or sell most of it if he could see it all the time.

I unpacked the kitchen equipment and sorted it into cabinets. And then deciding I had done enough I picked my bag up shut off all the lights and went into my room making sure to re-lock the door behind me. I took my sandwich out of my bad, it was a little squashed but still okay and I ate only half of it before I pushed the food away and pulled my home work out. I didn't have much just some math problems and I breezed right through it leaving me with nothing to do.

Checking the time I realized it was 2:00 AM. Surprised I stood and crumpled up the remainder of my dinner in its wrapper and left my room to toss it in the trash. Then I headed to the bathroom and striped myself of my cloths and turned the water on. I took a quick shower wanting to get into bed as soon as possible.

" I forgot my cloths." I spoke to myself now that I was alone and unoccupied to fill the silence in the room. What a stupid thing to do! I lightened to the quiet house and decided it was safe for me to make a mad dash for my unlocked door. Flicking the light off and making a run for it I was within a foot of my door before a hand snaked around my waist and ripped my towel down violently. I looked at the floor immediately, my towel lied there helplessly. My body was completely exposed.

" Good night Kyrri." Father glowered in my ear as he moved closer to me. I hated myself right now, hated the fact that I had forgotten my pj's, hated that I was now put in this position. He slid both his hands up to cup my breasts and pressed into my back. Tears slipped unwillingly down my face and he bit down on my shoulder hard enough to make me gasp.

He moaned once and let one hand slip down from my breast to my stomach and dared to go even further but just before he reached his destination and I blacked out completely he pushed me roughly into my room. My head hit the foot board of my bed but I forced myself up and flew into the door slamming it and locking it behind myself.

Hot tears poured down my cheeks as I dressed and then turned the light off. I heard my father skulk away and open the fridge in the kitchen so I turned my box fan on to drown out the noise of him getting drunk again. As if he was ever sober...

I closed my eyes and cried myself to sleep thankfully embracing the silence of my dreams.

Kry: So that is it for chapter two... And I know that ending is horrible, It was hard to write for personal reasons but this story, when I first began writing it was also a way to help myself cope with some dark things. I apologize if it upset anyone, as I warned at the beginning. Please review, as always criticism is welcome. I am looking for a Beta, a serious one that can stay deticated and help my work my plans and chapters together smoothly.


	3. Chapter 3

Kry: Here is Chapter Three. I don't own YuGiOh in any way, sadly noneof us do... As a side note, these chapters were originally named, but since I have started shortening the chapter I have honestly not had time to come up with names. I anyone has any suggestions feel free to let me know. For now they will go unnamed.

Warning: ( though not as severe as the last Chapter Two) There is some gore, and descriptive blood.

Bakura's POV

I sat silently on my bed, no Ryou's bed in complete silence. My tarot cards were strewn over the bed and the floor where I had slung them in anger. No matter how many times I asked the cards, searched the universe for my answers they told me the same thing; again and again. I pulled my hair, this was getting me nowhere, there is just no way that she can be here or the _'eternal secret'_ for matter. It just didn't make sense she wasn't just dead, he very soul had been devoured by the dark lords that ruled the shadow realm.

_I Held my breath as I stood with my back pressed hard against the stone wall behind me, the ledge I was precariously balancing on what was three inches at best and the wind was gusting through my robes violently. I caught my balance and scooted graceful, tiny steps across the palace walls. Finally I had reached my destination, a window with a sheer white curtain and the flickering of a candle lit somewhere in the room. I heard her before I reached the room, her voice the sound of an angel even though she was yelling. Wait, yelling? I inched my ear closer but stayed out of sight from the inside of the room._

" _Seto that is enough my mind is already made up so just stop already!" Her voice was shrill and I could tell that she was holding back tears. I heard some shuffling and then a sob, it wasn't from her, the voice a deep baritone. Priest Seto of the high council, what was he doing in Kyrri's room at such an hour. I was one to talk perched outside of her window several floors above ground level._

" _I won't take part in this. I will not stand idly by while you light your own pyre." His voice was that of a broken man. Pyre, what strange terminology for an Egyptian Perhaps this priest had seen more of the world than I previously gave him credit for. Instead of responding to his accusation with anger she just sighed._

" _This is what has to be done my dear sweet Seto, to protect our beautiful Egypt from the terrible darkness that threatens us all." Her tone was final, and I realized this wasn't much of an argument as I had first thought. This was just a discussion as if she was talking about the weather._

" _But why does it have to be you? The Pharaoh could easily find someone else!" he demanded and suddenly a shadow cast over the window. She had moved and placed her hands gently on the edge of her window, her hands were paler than the last time I saw her. Too much time inside the confinement of the castle walls if you asked me. I could see her face through the thin curtain and she directed her eyes to the stars in mute admiration._

" _Because there is no one else with enough power. Even all of Yami's Power alone isn't enough to do what has to be done. We were born together and now we shall die together as well" was her only reply. A hand was placed on her shoulder and she was turned around rapidly. I growled under my breath, how dare he..._

" _I am powerful enough please Princess let me take your place." This man was suddenly on his knees, I stretched my neck forward to get a better look. I could see the tears now, his deep blue eyes like two oceans. Kyrri's back was still to me, her hair had gotten longer in the years since we last spoke. She was taller and curvier as well. She knelt next to him and placed her palm to his cheek wiping his tears away with her thumb._

" _You are simply to precious to me my love. I could not survive without you and Yami." she spoke softly making it hard for me to hear her clearly. Still her words ran through me like a cold knife. My heart burned with rage. This blue eyed priest had gone and stolen her heart out from under me while I had been plotting my revenge on the Pharaoh, her only remaining family. Maybe I was a fool to think we would have ever been together. King thief Bakura and the Princess of the great land of Egypt. I was an enemy of the country, and I had always known somewhere deep inside me that I could never give her the things she deserved. _

_Knowing these things didn't make it any easier to face them. I glanced down at the rose in my left hand. It was pure white, just like the moon and stars in the sky. It was a symbol of what I could never tell her. I placed the rose on the window sill and began scooting myself away slowly._

I remembered that night all to well, the night I pushed every pointless feeling into nonexistence and made a vow to focus on destroying my enemies and stealing the greatest of treasures. I had wandered the towns and cities of Egypt aimlessly for days before a darkness found me alone in an dank ally. I was so consumed by my broken heart that I took little notice as this darkness settled it self deep into my conscience. It started in small spurts, take this and do that and I never knew where the thoughts were coming from; then I found myself within the royal court facing down the Pharaoh and his council of servants I was at the front of the attack, I was leading the darkness that those lovers had spoken of that cool summers night. Or was the darkness leading me?

I hadn't really put a great deal of thought about when and how the darkness and I had become one, it had never occurred to me that I could have been manipulated in my vulnerable state and even now a five thousand years later I sat on the bed of a boy whose body I used when ever I so desired. The darkness clung tightly to me, feeding from me as I fed from it like a cycle. I had been one with this evil for so long I had forgotten that once there was a time before things had become so dark and empty. A time when I was young and in love, a time when I had wished for revenge but had never actually taken it. I had always took what I wanted but something had stopped me more than once from killing Yami and I think I know now just what it had been.

Her. Kyrri, the most beautiful woman that had ever been born in Egypt; who was erased from memory along with her brother when he sealed himself along with a large portion of the darkness away with in his puzzle, a torture I couldn't have choose better myself. But to do so had come at a price, and a large one at that and she was the price. She was not only killed in sacrifice to stop me, the darkness that threatened to destroy everything but her soul was shattered. This was not unlike the mind crush, only this was forever.

_I remember how while everyone in the palace panicked as my forces had ravished their home Seto had stood still in front of the throne chanting in the old tongue, Kyrri had ran out into the middle of the room and picked up a nearly forgotten ritual sword. She stood over a ceremonial bowl and stabbed up through her stomach to pierce herself through the heart. Priest Seto paused his incantations and he and the Pharaoh were at her side in an instance._

" _I forgive you." she spoke to softly for me to hear, but I could read the words as the flew from her lips in a rush; she stared me down her gaze not wavering. I had dropped my arms to my side and the dark tendrils that flowed from me began to recoil. She touched Seto's lips for only a moment and then fell to the floor, the priest fell with her screaming in agony._

" _You must do it NOW Seto!" she shouted with all her force shaking him from his shock. Her blood was splattered on his face making his crimson eyes that matcher her own glow brightly. He then leaned down and pulled the sword from her chest. Seto kissed her lips gently and stood looking up frightened. I flinched as she moaned in pain and here eyes closed and a look of peace overcame her features. This isn't what I wanted, this isn't how it was suppose to end. I just wanted the Pharaoh, only him to die. Not her! Never her..._

_The great Pharaoh Yami stood with his head held high tears slid down his cheeks as his high priest, best friend and cousin stood and stabbed his kings in the chest. The other priests and servants looked on in mute shock but did nothing as he crumpled into Seto's arms. Seto moved the dieing lord over the golden bowl and allowed his blood to fill the remainder on it all the while continuing to chant._

_I didn't make a move to stop him my desire to kill the pharaoh gone with him and is sister lining helplessly on the ground in their own mixed life force. Inside the golden goblet the blood began spin around and around until it began to look like a whirlpool inside the rims. Golden sparks multiplied and the crimson that was so akin to Kyrri's eyes it made me sick began to fade as a column of blood shot up to the open sky above the court. Sparks flew over the entire land, but their luminance faded before they could reach me. _

_Seto looked me dead in the eye with a hatred that I'm not sure even I could match as he took one deep breath, I knew his spell was coming to a close and I would be destroyed and she had paid the price to destroy me. I felt her starting to fade from my thoughts, from my memories..._

_No._

_As Seto opened his mouth to end this blood ritual my gaze snapped up from the floor where it had fallen and onto her lifeless body, she couldn't have... It was one thing for her to sacrifice her life, but her soul and essence too. She would no longer be, would never have been. I couldn't just stand by and watch this happen. For just that moment I felt a snap and the darkness was beside me, without looking back or thinking twice I pushed my spirit forward abandoning my body to the beast and plunged into the cyclone of blood and then I woke up one morning in the body of some unfortunate British boy who deserved better than to be possessed by the likes of me._

I pulled huge wads of my white hair into my fists as I screamed in frustration and brought my head to my knees. What is wrong with me, I am the great King Thief Bakura and I am above petty emotions such as this. I wanted to punch holes into the walls around me, I wanted to pillage and destroy whatever was nearest to me.

" _Perhaps violence isn't the answer anymore."_ Ryou's voice was soft and timid, he hadn't actually spoken directly to me in over a year and why he chose now of all times to break his silence baffled me. Maybe right now I seemed less of a danger to him, or maybe he truly is that kind heated that after all of the horrendous things I have done to him he was still worried about my strange behavior.

" _Your different right now."_ he replied to my unspoken question. Just when had he gotten strong enough to read my emotion as I could his. Was it that he was strong or rather that I was weak? I shook these thoughts and slowly released my hosts hair, no need to cause him any more later pain.

" _Different."_ I questioned and began picking up my forgotten tarot cards, he materialized next to me on the bed with a goofy smile plastered to his face. I could feel myself relax the smallest bit.

" _Yes I'm sure of it." _His smiled widened and he retreated back into his soul room leaving me with my thoughts and his borrowed body.

Seto's POV

the rhythmic sound my my finger gracefully sweeping across my keyboard nullified my unwanted thoughts. I typed reply after reply to everyone who emailed me whatever trivial question or offer they deemed worth of my time. The frown never leaving my face as I furiously finished all of my work for the night. It was 10:32 PM by the time I had finished and I could feel the beginnings of exhaustion making its way through me. Mokaba was probably livid with me by now, I had promised to be home early and though I was known to be much later than this I knew he wanted to spend some time together. I felt a small pang of guilt. Between him practicing for his high school entrance exams and my responsibilities with the company there seemed to be less time than there ever had been to just be with my brother.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone texting 'omw now' to him before I grabbed my coat and stepped into the elevator that would lead me directly to the second level basement where a few of the cars I owned were parked. I climbed into the seat of a black Dodge Viper and revved the engine to life. I pulled out of the underground parking lot and let my mind wander as I drove home.

I had tried to ignore it for a while now, tried to fill my mind with more work but I was slowly becoming more and more bored; More and more lonely with each passing day. Mokaba was getting older and needed me less and less and work was loosing its interest to me. No longer holding the burning passion for Kaiba corp that I had once held, long ago when I had taken over the company followed by my adoptive fathers suicide.

Mokaba had noticed my distant looks and frequent sighs, he had asked me several times what was wrong and I had either ignored him or just simply shrugged not really having an answer.

I pulled into the four door garage at the back side of the mansion and parked the car, hesitating only a moment out of sheer exhaustion. Mokaba slung the door leading inside open suddenly and stomped over to my door. I sighed and climbed out of the car silently waiting him to reprimand me.

Instead he threw his arms around me in a hug and I noticed his his shoulders shaking slightly. He wasn't crying but was obviously upset. I returned his hug.

" Mokaba whats wrong?" I asked calmly he turned his head slightly so he wasn't mumbling into my chest with a pout on his face.

" Nii-sama it was horrible!" he exclaimed dramatically. I resisted the urge to smirk at him as he pulled away and walked backwards leading the way through the door and hallways and into the kitchen.

" What was horrible?" I asked seeing that he wasn't going to just tell me without making me ask. He frowned and looked down.

" Well you remember that girl I told you about from my school?" He asked meekly puling at a stray fringe of his unruly hair. I nodded and sat down at the head of the kitchen table, he sat in his place beside me.

" Sophie right?" I asked not sure it I remembered the name his face turned red with anger and he glared at me.

" Her name is Sophia." he growled angrily. Just as I was about to turn a critical eye on him for snapping at me he raised his hands in a gesture of apology and surrender. Loosing my patience a little I crossed my arms on the table. Sometimes Mokaba could drag things out for no apparent reason. Why couldn't he just be straight forward and tot he point like myself. But that was actually the last thing I wanted for him. I liked that replayed games and made friends and talked to _'girls'_. Those were all things I never really got to do myself. I wanted him to be happy when he was my age.

"Well I asked her out today... and she turned me down. She.. she told me that I was to silly to be her boyfriend." he looked away with a blush. I stared in shock, since when was he trying to get girlfriends? He was thirteen now but I was had just turned 20 and still had yet to kiss a girl, or even think of pursuing a relationship.

" That's ridiculous!" I glared at my fist as I lightly smashed it on the table. Mokaba smiled at my actions but he shook his head.

" No she is right Seto. I am silly, I have an IQ of 170 and yet here I am trying to fit in with kids my age who I really have nothing in common with..." he sounded a little sad at his revelation, I wanted to argue with him but he was right. None of those privileged private school kids had never seen the same hardships Mokaba and I had seen. They had never been orphans, never had to struggle at all. I still failed to see Mokaba's point so I nodded for him to go on.

" I took my entrance exams today." He looked up into my eyes so he could analyze my response. Already, I knew he was studying but I thought he was just trying to be prepared for his future with the exams looming after his graduation from middle school.

" What?" I asked slightly dumbfounded.

" Don't you want to know how it went?" He asked quietly seeming unsure of himself I smiled a small but genuine smile to my little brother who was getting less and less big every day.

" Of course Mokaba." I said while flagging down the cook who I saw step out of the door that lead into the actual kitchen. Mokaba waited quietly while I ordered the cook to make dinner for us. He nodded respectfully and went to begin his task. When I turned my attention back to my brother he was smiling widely

" I got perfect marks!" he was fidgeting slightly, obviously pleased with himself. I stood and pulled him up with me in a bone crushing hug. This was a bitter sweet moment for me, I had never been so proud of him before but I felt as if I was slowly loosing him as he grew up and away from me. I ruffled his hair like I always had when he as younger and he swatted my hand away in annoyance.

" I am so proud of you Moki." I said as we pulled apart and took our respective seats once again. He made a face at my nick name for him, just another reminder that he wasn't the kid he used to be.

" Thank you Nii-sama. I'm starting at Domino High tomorrow." My eyes widened at his words, why so fast, why couldn't he just be little forever? I nodded again, I was never a man of many words even at home, there always seemed to be this silent void. I spent so much time just contemplating things, simply lost in my head.

We sat in silence as Mokaba's phone 'beeped' and he pulled it onto the table and began texting furiously. He was just a regular teenager to me, it didn't matter that he was a genius by all rights just as much as me. It didn't matter that he was a heir to a multimillion dollar company. He was jut plain old Mokaba to me and I hoped it was always going to be this way.

Before long the smells of dinner wafted into the room and for the first time that day I felt the pangs of hunger. When was the last time I had eaten? Not today for sure. The cook wheeled in a rolling tray with several plates on it. There was a small garden salads for each of us and then spaghetti with a piece of garlic toast each. A maid who came in behind the cook placed a mountain dew in front of Mokaba and a water in front of me. I dug into the salad dressed with lemon juice and a little salt while Mokaba took a huge bite of his bread. He stuck his tongue out at me with chunks of food still covering it.

I grimaced while swallowing my food causing me to cough, this just made Mokaba fall into a fit of laughter. When I had caught my breath I stabbed my fork into a tomato and flung it at him, with my precise aim it landed right into his open mouth. He spat it onto the center of the table and began wiping his tongue on a napkin in disgust. I couldn't suppress my laughter, it having been months since I had truly laughed. Mokaba stared open mouthed with his napkin still clung to his tongue. This made me laugh more as I grabbed my sides to keep from shaking. He laughed too. Once we had calmed down we simply smiled and finished our dinner in a comfortable silence. Mokaba had grown out of feeling like he needed to fill silences with random chatter, but I still missed those days.

After our dinner was completely eaten he stood and stretched trying to suppress a yawn. I stood too and popped my neck. I debated or not I wanted to go to bed or try to get some of tomorrows work finished before I fell asleep.

" There's a horror flick marathon on tonight." He suggested, I nodded a gory distraction would be nice. Time spent with Mokaba was more important than work now that I was forced to realize he was growing up too fast. I had been brother, yet his parent for so long now it was strange to think of myself as becoming more 'free'. I shook my head as I walked behind him into the living room.

No, I didn't want freedom from him, his growing absence was leaving a hole in my life. A loneliness I didn't know how to fill, it wasn't as if I wanted company from someone my age and business associates wouldn't do either. Was it possible I was missing the geek squad? No that's ridiculous, it was more likely I was missing having a child to look after... Not that there was a chance of children in my future.

Mokaba was asleep before the credits of the movie we had started half way through. He snored lightly with his head at the arm of the couch. He had stretched his feet out and nudged me tot he other end of the couch. I rose to my feet and grabbed a blanket off of the love seat that I kept out here for when Mokaba fell asleep while waiting on me to get home from work. It wasn't that I couldn't carry him still, but all the ay up the stairs and down the hall was still tiring and I would rather not. I cast him one more glance before I turned and headed to my room.

As I made my way under my blankets having changed I closed my eyes and let the loneliness of the Kaiba mansion consume me. This house was huge, there were to many rooms to use and sleeping half the house away from my little brother was still strange even after so many years. I rolled onto my stomach and pulled a spare pillow closer to my chest for comfort. In my own house, my own private escape from the world I could be myself. But I wasn't even sure anymore who I was and I drifted to sleep while thinking of the sound seashells make when you press you ear to them, how childish of a thought.

Kry: So that was Chapter Three! I am actually enjoying making thee changed very much. I hope everyone likes it as much as I do. Please review if you like what you see, and help me find my errors. Happy reading to everyone.


	4. Chapter 4

Kry: Chapter four, I do not Own YuGiOh, only Kyrri and her story. Now we are getting more into Kyrri's thoughts as the things start to unfold around her. She will be shaken and confused for a while actually. Having too much already going on in her life to focus clearly. No serious warning this chapter, you guys are of the hook. Still looking for a Beta if anyone is interested.

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Jou's POV

I woke up early like I always did and stretched while yawning. Looking over at my alarm it read 6:52 AM I thought about trying to sleep through the next 8 minutes but after a moment of forcing my eyes shut I sighed and reached over to turn off my alarm. Sitting on the edge of my bed I looked around my room, I was still getting used to having my own room. I had used all the money I had saved from working the last few years and left ever dueling competition money to buy a small and terrible looking house on the outskirts of town. It was in the bad area of Domino, and there really wasn't much to it but the house was still mine. A permanent place for me to come home to.

I was lonely here, even though my Dads company hadn't been worth much being alone was harder. But I figured that the was all part of growing up and getting thing done on my own. I stood up finally and made my way across the room and into the small bathroom that was attached. Looking in the mirror into my dingy brown eyes I sighed again and ran my fingers through my hair to achieve my just out of bed look, even though I literally was just out of bed. Deciding against a shower since I had taken one before going to bed the night before I used the bathroom and then went back into my room to change into my school uniform.

I scavenged through my fridge until I found a banana that looked like it was on its last edible leg so to speak and then pulled some peanut butter and bread from my cabinets. After making a PB and banana sandwich I walked outside into the cool and crisp morning air. Dew still covered the ground and glistened in the morning light. I fumbled with my keys to get them out of my pocket and lock the door one handed as I stuffed my breakfast into my mouth.

I began my journey to school but before I even reached the end of my yard I spotted something unexpected in the yard next to mine. Kyrri stood in the rays of light that splayed into her yard Her hair was loose unlike yesterday and blew wildly in the breeze. She stared at the sidewalk just beyond the gate to her yard with a look I couldn't describe.

" Hey Kye whats up?" I yelled and waved my arm high forgetting about my sandwich as it fell to the grass at my feet. I would have picked it up, probably still eaten it if she hadn't turned her gaze to me in that moment. There was no surprise on her face, in fact there wasn't any emotion; her eyes empty except for the tears flowing down her cheeks. Her eyes are what really caught my attention though, not pink as they were yesterday but a deep blood red color that stood in contrast to her pale skin.

For a moment we just stood locked in each others unwavering gazes until she reached an arm up tentatively and wiped her face. When her arm dropped her eyes had lightened and a small smile graced her rose colored lips. This girl was truly beautiful when she cried.

" Oh Jou am I glad to see you." Was all she said as she stepped through her gate and took a few steps to my fence. She seemed fine now, whatever had her so upset must have passed and I decided to let her pretend as if it had never happened. Everyone had their demons and I wouldn't want some guy I had only just met prying into my private life.

" Is this where you live?" I asked regaining my composure and leaving my own yard to stand beside her. She nodded as we began a slow pace to school. We stayed in silence for a moment and I looked her over. Her eyes were rimmed with dark circles and her long hair was only half brushed. She looked like she hadn't even slept. The intertwined her fingers in front of her and stretched, I took notice to the fact that she was wearing a long sleeved black shirt underneath her uniform with thumb holes cut out. It was still early and already almost 70 outside By mid afternoon it would be 90 there was no way she could be comfortable.

" Are you okay Kyrri?" I asked as she had stayed quiet for a long time. She looked deep in thought and lost in her own world and had tripped slightly. I caught her elbow to keep her from falling. She smiled in thanks but didn't catch my worried look.

" I'm fine I just stayed up all night unpacking some more. I think I am finally done though!" she said cheerfully. It seemed odd, like I knew she was faking her light attitude. I wanted to understand better but I didn't want to seem nosy either so I just nodded and that was the last that was said until we reached the school.

It was still early but Yugi was already there sitting under a large oak tree in the middle of the front lawn of the school. He was holding his puzzle and hie eyes were glazed over and I knew he was talking to Yami, but as his eyes lifted and trained their selves to mine I saw the crimson glint. Scratch that Yami was talking to Yugi, is was unusual for Yami to have control when there wasn't danger present and this put me on guard immediately.

" Pharaoh." I nodded politely for a moment forgetting Kyrri was behind me. Luckily what ever was eating her this morning seemed to take her attention away from my conversation. She sat down on a wooden bench and stared off into the road, god knows what on her mind. I gestured that Yami and I take a few steps away so to be out of ear shot.

" Good morning Jou." he nodded in return to my greeting and touched his puzzle again as he bore holes into Kyrri's back. She didn't even flinch

" Yo Yami whats the deal? First yesterday you and Bakura zone out and now your seeking a higher education all of the sudden?" He chuckled at my joke but a very serious look replaced his grin and he continued to look at her while she sulked.

" I don't know to be honest with you Jou, she obviously has a millennium item and I cant shake the feeling that she is someone of great importance but these are all memories that have long since been lost to me. All I know for sure is something dangerous is looming over us and Bakura seems to know more about it all that I do myself." I widened my eyes as I too looked at this lonely girl. It seemed like all she really needed was some good friends, could she really be the holder of one of these ancient artifacts that people kept trying to use to take over the world. Was she herself evil, or just a smaller pawn in the millennium games I had grown accustomed to after being friends with Yugi for so long?

" Is she dangerous?" I asked not truly believing it for a minutes. Glancing sideways at her as she sat alone; after all the time I had spent with Yugi saving the world I had become a little He shook his head sadly.

" No I do not believe she is, she doesn't seem to be aware of what she is tangled into at all." that was the end of our conversation and I noticed Kyrri pull her knees to her chest and hide her face from view, what ever it was she was thinking about seemed to be eating her alive so I decided to return to my post as distraction.

Yami's POV

I watched as Jou returned to Kyrri's side dutifully. He spoke softly to her and I watched as she raised her head and smiled even though there were obvious tears caught in the corners of her eyes. He outstretched a hand and helped her to her feet. Casting me a glace that said I could follow or stay where I was either way they were leaving I decided to follow. We made our way into the halls and found Kyrri's locker first, Jou's was just a ways down and mine was in another hall but still on our way to homeroom. She collected her books in silence and grasped them to her chest. I watched in mute curiosity as she followed Jou as if he were a life line to her. I could see the sadness etched into her tired eyes and her sluggish walk. If I had thought she was antisocial yesterday it was ten times worse today.

" _Why do you think she is so sad Yami?"_ Yugi spoke through out mental link and I only shrugged. All I was sure of was for reasons unknown to me her sadness bothered me. Still I hadn't a clue what to do or say so I let Jou take the lead.

" _I do not know little one but I wish I understood why I can't keep this girl from intruding my thoughts..." _ Even as the words left me though out connection I knew I had said them wrong. Yugi grew quiet and I could feel his pain run through me as if it were my own. I sighed and touched my puzzle tenderly. The puzzle was my link to this world and to Yugi.

"_Yugi, that isn't what I meant. Please you have always been the only person I could think of in such a way."_ I blushed even though no one else could hear my sweet words. Yugi meant the world to me, it didn't matter how complicated our situation was. It didn't matter that I hadn't gotten the courage to actually say those three powerful words. He knew how I felt, and that I never wanted to be separated from him again after what happened with Dartz.

" _I know Pharaoh. There is something about her, I can feel it I just don't know what 'it' is."_ I nodded once more in agreement. Our silent conversation was ended as Bakura and not Ryou stepped in front of Kyrri suddenly.

" Good morning Kyrri." He spoke in a sweet voice, I might have thought this was my friend Ryou were it not for the bloody shimmer in his mahogany eyes and the deep purple aura that discharged off of him. Though I was sure she couldn't see it, maybe Jou could see but I couldn't be sure.

" Hello." Her voice was soft and hoarse, she lifted her pale face up from the floor and found Bakura's eyes. The thief froze and his out of place smile broke apart, his head tilted just a fraction to the side and his face softened into nothing; a blank face.

Just as Quickly as he had appeared before us he turned on his heel and stalked away. Just before he stepped off of the schools property he stopped and turned. Kyrri had already returned her gaze to the floor looking sadder than before. By the time I had turned my gaze back to Bakura his back was turned and he was walking as he wiped his face with the sleeve of his school jacket. I didn't know what to think of his strange behavior, but I knew for sure he wasn't crying. He didn't have feelings so he must have been brushing his hair from his face or wiping sweat from his brow.

" Lets go." I turned to my friends and urged us forward wanting to forget about this odd encounter with Bakura. Jou took Kyrri's elbow to get her moving and dropped it just as quickly. I wondered about this new development between the two of them.

We reached homeroom and took our seats. Jou immediately started chattering cheerfully, she put her complete focus on him occasionally a small smile gracing her lips until just moments later she would become overwhelmed with sadness again. There was a dark depressing aura around her.

Once the bell rang she turned her focus to the top of her desk. Jou looked at me and shrugged before he turned to face our teacher. Frowned having no interest in her lecturing so I returned to the room inside Yugi's mind I called my own. He smiled encouragingly at me as we passed over control.

I made my way through the dark catacombs in silence as I tried my hardest to reflect on my shadowed past. No matter how hard I pushed through my mine, no matter how many doors I searched I found nothing in frustration. I sank down against a damp mossy wall, feeling I was in a very old part of my mind. I lowered my head feeling defeated and lost. that's all I was really, a lost boy from a different time who couldn't remember my friends or my family. Couldn't remember my dreams or my fears. Yugi was all I had tethering me to this cruel world.

Kyrri's POV

My day had sped by too quickly for my pleasure, and now I sat in my math class unable to pay attention. I had finished the work the class was assigned already not needing to watch him show how the formulas were done. Now I just stared out the window, yesterday when I was happy to be in this class without my new band of 'friends' but today I would have done anything not to feel so alone in this moment.

I could feel eyes boring into my back causing me to turn around. In the only desk desk behind mine sat a familiar head of white hair. Ryou smiled at me kindly but this only caused an odd sensation to roll through me, it was like he was looking deep into my soul. I shivered and tried to shake this feeling from my bones. Realizing I was actually feeling something, that this strange emotion had broken its way through my empty haze. My eyes widened and I turned quickly from this boy.

What was his problem anyways? Staring at me like that, as if I hadn't only just met him yesterday. Who was this white haired stranger? Deciding that this was unimportant and I was more than likely being paranoid. Besides I had bigger things to worry about, like going home tonight after my art class earlier than I had yesterday when I left Kaiba Corp. Having to see my father was a thought that caused me to shiver and cross my arms over my chest defensively.

I had thought for a while that father was getting better, slowly drinking less than he had the week before and the week before that. He hadn't hit me in ages and once or twice I had caught him sober, or not quite drunk yet and he had even asked me one morning how I slept. I realized that though I hadn't admired it to myself I was hopeful that one day the dad I remembered when I was a child would resurface from under the waves of alcohol and depression that had overcome him years ago.

I was forced to realize that I had let my hopes get the better of me. I had ignored the signs before when we lived in America still. I had caught him one night with some woman who was barley dressed. She was... on her knees in front of him. I had covered my eyes in shock and disgust and ran into my room but not before I had seen the needles on the table. I was a good kid, I didn't dabble with drugs or alcohol, I never sneaked out and I never got into trouble so I wasn't really sure what that night had meant until later.

My father had slowly gotten thinner and paler. He had stopped sleeping altogether and I had foolishly tried to convince myself that nothing had changed and he was the same drunk he was before. And true he still drank a lot, but he was drinking less wasn't that something. Not if he was doing something worse...

Just how far would he slip into this new addiction, would he forget he had a daughter that he had once said was his world. Would he forget who I was and one day push me over the edge with his hurtful words and painful actions.

In all the time since my mother had died he had never _'touched' _ me, he had beat me and bruised me but he had never seen me naked, had never touched me with his filthy hands. I tried to suppress a sob by biting my hand. How much further would he take this new game, just what would he do? My head was spinning by the time the bell rang signaling our departure from class. I didn't move, I didn't have the will to move myself closer to the end of school and closer to going back to my personal nightmare.

Ryou hesitated next to my desk for a moment. He seemed to be deliberating but then he turned his head towards the exit of the classroom and with an angry look on his face and stormed away. I slowly picked up my books and walked from the classroom. Jou was waiting for me with Yugi in tow behind him. I noticed that now Yugi's eyes were lavender instead of red. I looked at them dreadfully.

" I have Gym next." was all I said causing them to laugh, this made me smile a little too. I liked how these small interactions with these boys were distracting me. I liked that I didn't have to try so hard to smile. Maybe, just maybe having friends wouldn't be such a terrible thing. But maybe I was thinking too selfishly, just what could I offer these 'friends' in return. I came with nothing but baggage that I could never tell anyone anyways.

" Hey you don't look so good." Yugi was the first one to point it out. I shook my head smiling awkwardly now and waved my hands up front of me.

" No no I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well that's all." I insisted and started walking with them close in tow. It was weird for me to be followed. I looked at the lights on the ceiling, they seemed darker than before. Then I watched as the room began to spin, suddenly Jou was in my view as well as Yugi, a few unrecognizable faced. I was sure I also so Ryou somewhere in the distance of the hall holding a golden ring around his neck with little spikes all pointed to me, and then my head hit the floor.

_I watched as a familiar young boy with white hair spun around with a giant grin and bright Burgundy eyes. He grabbed my hands, I could see the delicate chain of my bracelet glimmer in the sunlight. Bakura seemed to radiate in contrast to the sand and sky. He had sneaked into the palace walls and convinced me to come with him. I had only been out of the palace once before... the first time I met Bakura son of the king of thieves. I had been kidnapped while out at the market with mother and two guards. I had ran off to look at a funny shaped fruit at one of the stands and then had been swooped up and away from my mother and to a bandit camp. Bakura had befriended me, so kind and smart and when his father had tried to sell me to slave traders he had saved me and let me escape back into town where guards were still searching the land. I never spoke a word of what happened to anyone, otherwise father would have had them killed, even my friend. _

" _Isn't this great?" he asked as he stepped into the cool water. I dipped my feet in and sat on the shore. I remember being happy._

_The next time I saw him we weren't much older, but he had aged more than I could understand. It was his eyes, cold and hard. Hiding a deep rooted sadness he refused to show. I threw my arms around him with tears flowing down my face. He stiffened but then his head dropped to rest on my shoulder, he didn't hold me back or show any other sign of weakness. I placed one hand on his head and one around his back and rested his face to where my heat beat fast._

" _I'm so sorry Kura, if I would have known I would have faced death to warn you." I whispered through my small hiccups. Finally he wrapped his arms around me returning my comforting hug. His shoulders shook._

_Then I faced with his face hard and dark, a long scar running down his face and over his eye, it made me sad to see him grown into a hard man. Darkness flowed from around him in slimy tendril and his eyes were solid black full of anger and hatred. I had tried to reason with him and monsters fought monsters and priest fought thief. I could sense the presence of a darkness looming behind him._

I woke up on a hard cot that was too close to the floor for my comfort. My head was killing me and the light was too bright. I remember those dreams, I used to have them when I was little. Dreams of being a princess of Egypt. It had been so long since I had dreams about it that I had pretty much forgotten. So many things had happened, my mother had died. She committed suicide and then slowly my father went mad with grief and I had been left alone in a way that was so ironic. With my father always right there too inebriated to function our roles had reversed. I had become the parent and him the child as I had gotten small jobs. Mowing lawns and babysitting to buy food. As I got older I was able to get a real job, and then I would loose one and find another. I had simply been to busy to focus on such childish fantasy's. But the boy Ryou looked just like... and Yugi even had some resemblance to a boy I had imagined as a carefree child.

I sat up and found myself in a small room with white painted brick walls and medical equipments. The school nurses station I guessed, and was proved correct when a curvy woman with red hair and freckles walked in.

" Oh good your awake, how are you feeling." She asked turning concerned blue eyes onto me as she poured a glass of cold water from a pitcher that was in a small mini fridge. I took the small cup gratefully and took a long sip.

" My head hurts." I admitted and she nodded turning around to open a cabinet, she pulled out a small packet that contained two white pills.

" That's to be expected, here take these they will help. It looks like you just didn't get enough sleep and got dizzy and fell. It was actually hitting your head that knocked you unconscious." I took the pills and slowly stood. I was a little shaky but I would be okay now. She eyes me skeptically.

" Are you sure you want to get up so quickly. You could rest here for a while. Lunch is in 20 minutes you can stay until then if you want." she smiled kindly and turned locking the medicine cabinet. I sat back down and then lied back down, maybe it was best to give the medicine time to kick in anyways. I placed my head back on the pillow and let my eyes closed. I had planed on falling back to sleep until the bell rang but visions of the night previous kept playing through my mind. I must have been shaking or making signs of my discomfort.

"Are you having a nightmare?" the voice of a boy, of Bakura... I mean Ryou. I must have really hit my head jeez. I opened my eyes slowly and say Ryou standing just inside the door with one hand resting on the frame. He looked uncomfortable, Jou had said he was weird. Maybe he was just as antisocial as I was. I faced his gaze head on and slowly smiled.

" Sort of. Why are you here?" I asked as I leaned up against the wall a little. He looked at the foot of the bed where my feet had been a moment and then sat down. Some how I found it easy to read this Ryou easily.

" I saw you fall." he admitted sounding nervous had seen you too. He looked thoughtfully to the wall across the room from where we sat. he said nothing at first and his eyes hardened.

" What is 'this'?" he asked grabbing my wrist roughly and exposing my bracelet. Luckily he didn't pull my sleeve up anymore. I retracted my arm immediately and held my wrist Its stung a little. The haphazard slashes reopening slightly.

" My mother left it to me in her will after she died." I touched it tenderly, this was all I had of her left. My father had burned everything exactly a year after she died out of anger. He hated her for leaving us and he said this was his way to let her go. He had already started drinking regularly at this point. I let my hair fall between Ryou and myself. I didn't want him to see my sad eyes.

" But do you know what it is?" he asked sounding impatient. I thought back to my dreams from childhood that I had only just remembered today, but that was just silly.

" It's just a bracelet." I insisted, this seemed to anger him as he stood and cast one applauded look my way before leaving the room. I stared at the place on the bed next to me where he had just been. Placing my hand on the blanket it was still warm, all that was left of his presence.

The bell rang and I stood glad to be able to go to lunch. After grabbing my things I made my way to the lunch room, before I was halfway there I saw Jou and Yugi running towards me. I smiled, happy that they were worried. It was nice to fee... like I was a part of something for once.

" Are you okay?" Jou asked as he inspected me dutifully, he touched my temple gently where I had hit my head. I flinched and he withdrew his hand quickly.

" I am actually much better now, but I'm hungry." I admitted sheepishly and brushed my hair out of my face. Both boys smiled.

" Well I guess we should get to the cafeteria then huh?" Yugi asked as we began walking again. Maybe I was thinking into things too much but I could swear that I fit into this little group like I was a missing piece.

After we had made it through the long line to get our lunch we sat down together. I pulled out four dollars that I had in my bag. I stood and stretched, my arms and legs a little sore. I was sleepy still and felt like I needed some caffeine

" What soda's would you guys like?" I asked politely and Yugi blushed a little.

" Oh you don't have too." " Get me a cherry Pepsi and Yug here will have a cream soda." The boys both spoke at the same time, Yugi refusing and Jou speaking over him. I nodded and turned towards the soda machines, half way there I bumped into Ryou walking towards our table without any food in tow. I smiled brightly, trying extra hard to be his friend. He always seemed so angst and angry, he seemed like a loner like me and I just wanted to show him he wasn't alone. Maybe I wanted to feel so not alone myself.

" What kind of soda would you like Ryou?" I asked sweetly, he looked strangely at me. I wasn't sure what emotions I was witnessing play through his eyes but eventually he looked away to the right seeming to no longer want me prying into his feelings.

" Whatever it doesn't matter." He walked past me slowly and our eyes locked one more time, I smiled and he broke our gaze and stalked back to the table. Just was was eating him so much?

I bought Yugi and Jou's soda's and a Dr pepper for myself, but stood for a moment unsure what to get Ryou. He hadn't left me any clues to what he liked. I moved to the second vending machine, its didn't hole any name brand soda's I recognized. All in Japanese, I could read the labels but some were strange. I eventually settled on a kiwi flavored drink that had no caffeine

" Here." I said as I started passing drinks out to the boys. Jou and Yugi thanked me and both popped the tops of the cans and took large drinks. I turned to Ryou and held out the drink. He scanned it in silence. Its possible I imagined what happened next, a tiny almost unrecognizable smile graced his lips for only a moment before he oped his as well and took a drink. His eyes widened and he looked up at me.

" This is delicious." he said I smiled and opened my own taking a drink. Yugi and Jou both had stopped talking and were eying Ryou skeptically, was it rare for him to pipe up like that? No one said anything and after a moment Ryou turned his gaze away and to the table. Jou and Yugi slowly started talking about the new duel disk release.

" So how was your first day at Kaiba Corp Kye-chan?" Jou asked suddenly everyone's eyes focused on me and I blushed. I mush preferred being a spectator of the conversation.

" It was okay, I have to wear stuffy cloths, but I'm getting paid and I get two college credits for each semester." I said Jou laughed but Yugi eyed me sceptically.

" Have you met Kaiba yet?" He asked, his voice had changed and he seemed more serious. I thought about it, technically we hadn't been introduced but I had spent a minute in the elevator with him.

" Not officially, he probably doesn't remember it he looked really tired. Like he had a lot on his mind." I said remembering the distant look in his eyes until the doors had opened and he had seen me for the fist time as I ran off. Great first impression Kyrri. Jou laughed and Yugi nodded. Ryou just stared angrily down at his clenched fists.

" Do you guys know him beyond duel monsters tournaments?" I asked taking a bite of my lunch. I had choose a burger today and some fries feeling extra hungry today. I held out a fry to Ryou, it had ketchup on the end. He was the only one without food, I wondered if he had the money to buy his lunch so I decided to share. He took it after glaring at it for a moment as if it might be poison. My kindness to him kept gaining me stares from my other friends. Yes maybe I could admit that these boys were my friends, maybe it was a good thing for me to have some good things in my life especially now.

" We went to school with him, he graduated last year, plus we've went on a bunch of crazy missions to save the world with him, but hes a total dick." Jou said with food in his mouth. I made a face but of surprise maybe even disbelief. Sure a lot of crazy things had happened in the world the last few years, things to make you believe there was forces of good and bad waging war. But it would be silly for me to believe that they had been hero's right? Yugi's eyes widened and he smacked Jou on the back of the head then crossed his arms. Jou rubbed the spot on his head and glared.

" You can't be serious right?" I asked and took another bite. Ryou's attention was on me again he was making me a little nervous.

" Well, its actually a really long story..." Yugi trailed off unsure. I waited for an explanation but when none came I looked down again. Maybe they would tell me later. Because this sounded like a story I really wanted to hear. Ryou reached into my lunch tray and plucked another fry I smiled and pushed the tray between us so I could share them with him. He seemed to be comfortable around me one moment and then the next he would be unreadable and angry.

" Yugi whats that around your neck, you never told me yesterday?" I asked trying to change the topic, this seemed to shock him a little and he gaped looking unsure of what to say.

" That's the millennium puzzle, one of seven ancient artifacts from Egypt that were created by the Pharaoh Aknamkanon had created to _'protect' _his country." Ryou was the one who spoke, being the most words I had heard him say at once so far I looked at him only to find him glaring at Yugi who returned the look three fold. This went on and I was reminded of small children arguing just before they stuck their tongues out at each other.

" Is this one of those items?" I asked holding my bracelet clad wrist to my chest. Ryou reached his pale hand out slowly taking my hand much softer that the last time, I allowed him to this time without pulling away. He traced his fingers over it and seemed to be in another place for a moment. Then he raised his eyes to mine.

" No not this one, this is older than that but it does have tight ties to some of the items." He said slowly. Choosing his words carefully before he spoke. Yugi and Jou watched in mute silence at our exchange.

" How do you know that Bakura?" Yugi demanded standing to sneer down at Ryou... Wait had he said Bakura? No I must be imagining things. Maybe I had a concussion after all. Ryou stood as well placing his had on the table beside our shared lunch tray. I wondered how things had got so tense all of the sudden.

" None of your damned business _'Yugi'_" He raised his voice and looked like he was ready to fight. I stood, I didn't want my friends fighting, weren't they suppose to be friends as well?

" Stop please! I can't watch you fight." I threw my hands up and looked warily between them. They both looked at me and immediately settled down Yugi sat and then Ryou lowered his gaze from mine and followed suit. Jou looked completely shocked but otherwise said nothing. We finished our lunch in silence, Ryou still ate with me while casting dagger at Yugi every now and then.

The warning bell rang just as I was dumping my tray, I waved at the boys and made my way to my English class. I had decided not to drop my bag off at my locker so I could just go straight to class. I sat in my seat on the last row on the left in the second to last seat. This was a class that I shared with none of my new friends, but I liked English and since I had spent my whole life in America something that here I excelled at.

The final bell rang and everyone scrambled to their seats as the teacher, a middle aged woman with black hair and thick glasses and who wore too much make up walked to the front of the room and clapped her hands to gain everyone's attention. I had my note book out and ready to take note if needed.

" Okay class today we are starting the semester project." she seemed excited but several kids groaned while others sighed. She frowned and pulled out a stack of stapled packets. Passing them out to everyone she returned to her place before us.

" You will have a month to complete this essay, it needs to be at least 15,000 words. You will find your topis inside. Everyone had been given a different packets and no you can not trade. You will have one month to finish this project. As a warning there wont be much class time to focus on this so some of you are going to have to actually do home work! I know that's crazy right? This counts for fifty percent of your over all grades so I expect you all to take this seriously. Now does everyone have their homework?" she asked changing the subject quickly after her little speech. I passed my homework up the aisle and I looked over my packet.

This was a huge project, but I didn't think I would need a month. My topic page read "Who do you admire the most? Why? When did this start? Why is this person different from others? What are some things you wish you could change about this person and why? What are the best and worst aspects of this person? What do they do for a living, like, dislike and live? Where did you first meet? Basic Biography required.

What? I just moved here, how could I pick someone I admired so soon, even a month seemed like a stretch to get to know someone so well and its not like I already have someone who fits the bill. My father was a fuck up and I honestly couldn't remember a lot about my mom having blocked most of the memories away. Beside she had committed suicide and left me alone with dear old dad... and that was nothing to admire. I spent the whole hour worrying over what I was going to do about this project.

Zoology was always fun, Science was an interest of mine as was technology. I listened inattentively to the young man who was our teachers lecture about the biology of a fire ant. It was pretty cool I guess. I didn't need to take any notes, this didn't seem like it was a super serious lesson today, then again this teacher seemed to be a bit of a goof so I couldn't be sure. Regardless I would remember what he taught today, I was doing everything to ignore the creeping feeling that I would have to go home at some point and school was acting as a much better distraction that it had this morning.

Still the class flew by too quickly for me and I walked slowly to my last class. Ancient history, I tried to remember what was talked about yesterday but I had caught myself looking out of another large window like in my math class. It was a lecture on Romans and I wasn't completely interested having covered the topic before. Today the old man who wore a stuffy suit both days I had been in attendance walked before us holding out a miniature model of a pyramid. This caught my attention and I sat up and focused on his words.

" Ancient Egypt had many Pharaoh's but none so great as the two we shall talk about today. The first was the son of the mighty Pharaoh Aknamkanon. His name was erased from memory as was his legacy, we only found one telling of this great kings ruling, written my the Pharaoh that ruled after his death. Pharaoh Seto, cousin his cousin told a tale of epic proportions. Some of this ancient relic was destroyed some years ago. So we don't have all of the details but the but the story goes that this nameless Pharaoh saved the world by locking his soul along with a great darkness in seven relics. No one knows if this is a recollection of a real even or not. No one has ever seen these relics but it is said that the Pharaoh will rise again one day to save the world once more." he smiled as many of the students seemed interested now. " these are all fun story's, Egypt was such a fascinating part of history wouldn't you all agree?" he asked as he turned to the chalk board. He began writing a time like on the board of this story, the death of the nameless king, the rise of his cousin and how Egypt entered into it grandest golden age. I took notes as I thought about Yugi's puzzle and the story Ryou had told me.

Then too soon for me tastes the final bell rang and everyone jumped out of the class eager to go home. I dreaded each step I took. I put my things into my locker, the books I didn't need and held onto my homework. I had my art class today since it was Wednesday. I found Yugi and Ryou arguing outside while Jou watched while laughing. He saw me and walked over before I could join the group.

" you want to go to the arcade with us? Were re meeting some of our other friends I'm sure you would like." he asked looking hopeful, I smiled my thanks but shook my head.

" I have an art class at a local college. It starts at five and ends at seven and its all the way across town so if I don't want to be late I have to leave soon. I'm sorry." I said, truly wanting to join them, but I kept myself busy for a reason and I planed to stick to it. He smiled anyways not seeming to worried about it.

" Okay, your lose then," he smiled and poked me in the head, I swatted his hand away and smiled back. " you sure do a lot of after school activities. When do you relax?" he asked as he walked with me to the end of the side walk.

" On the weekends." I said and swung my nag around with one arm. His eyes lit up.

" Okay I'll meet you at your house that morning, the group was going to meet at the mall and you have to come. No exceptions." he grinned when I sighed and agreed, I was actually excited about it. It wasn't that I had never been to a mall but I had never went with friends before.

" Good bye then." I said to Jou and then turned to Ryou and Yugi who were still bickering. I held my hand up high and waved to them with a smile.

" Good bye Yugi, Good bye Ryou I will see you all tomorrow." They waved back and I turned to leave. It took me about 45 minutes to get to my class, I had stopped to get a bottle of water because it was so hot outside. I regretted just why I was forced to wear these long sleeves, but I had taken off my school shirt and jacket and stuffed them in my bag so now I was dressed in a black sweater and my school skirt.

The class was fun, the teacher was a eccentric goth lady with long finger nails and a funny disposition to life. She walked through each of us as she spoke about hidden desires and inspired us to paint from our hearts. In just the two hours I had painted a brilliant blue sky as it shifter to sunset over golden sand dunes I had taken a bottle of sand that was perched on a shelf full of different art supplies and sprinkled it on the painted sand making it look more real. Beautiful rays of purple and orange shot through the sky where there were few clouds and a dew stars.

" Wonderful dear, how intriguing of you to draw a dearest, does this possibly symbolize a deep rooted sadness?" she questioned. I didn't say anything to her as I continued to paint. Did I paint this because I was sad? I had been listening to her talk about desires and dreams and what your heart spoke of and institutionally my mind had chosen to paint this beautiful landscape but was that because of all this Egypt talk that I had heard today or was I something more?

Soon the class was over, she thanked everyone for their amazing work and instructed us all to leave out work on the left side of the room to dry. I walked home still thinking of Yugi and his puzzle and my bracelet and even what the history teacher had said. I got home before I realized it with how lost in thought I was.

The door was unlocked, and I sighed when I realized no one was home. He never locked the door behind him hen he left to go do what ever it was he did all day. I knew for sure he wasn't working, probably out getting drunk or worse. I grabbed a bottle of water form the fridge and made myself a sandwich and grabbed a whole bag of chips and retreated to my room. I didn't want to have to leave again tonight not wanting to have to make the same mistake again. I made sure to lock my door before walked further in my room.

I lied down on my bed and ate my sandwich while I stared at the blank page in my note book, I couldn't think of anything to write about and instead ended up doodling instead. I didn't have any other home work tonight as its not as if I dint have a month to finish my English essay. I had barley drawn a man in robes and a strange tall hat when I felt my eyes begin to droop. It had been a long day. I had made new friends and I had avoided my father so far today was much better than yesterday so I fell asleep a little peacefully.

My dreams were plagued with the sound of chanting in some foreign tongue. I tried to make out the words but simply couldn't understand. I slept uneasy through the strange dreams that followed.

Kry: Well there is is guys. I hoped everyone liked it though as a realist I know there will be mistakes and areas that seem a bit 'fuzzy' in how I write, I am working on this, and hopefully have some help with that as always I would love some reviews, but I am going to keep on working on and writing this story even without reviews just because I love it so much. Criticize away!


	5. Chapter 5

Kry: Okay Chapter Five is up and ready, tell me what you think. I am trying to drag out the flash backs and memories. I don't want this to happen all at once for anyone. Except maybe Bakura who actually remembers everything. But what would Bakura tell anyone anything when he can just keep the info to himself. I know some characters are going OOC but I need to capture how the individual feel about my OC who I am throwing into this universe as if she was ALWAYS there, so of course some people would view things differently.

WARNING: Tension and language. Hard situations and severe depression.

If some of you are already tiered of the constant Yami/Yugi switch off I apologize, it will get a bit repetitive. But I promise I already have it all worked out how I am going to fix the whole body sharing situation. The Yami's will have their own bodies I promise!

Also, I realized I was calling Yami well Yami and Seto Seto in the past life and I am going to go back and change that in my previous chapters later. But from now on I will refer to them as Atem and Seth. Kyrri's name is the only one to be the same as it was in Egypt.

I do not own Yugioh or any of its affiliates though I sure so wish I did...

Seto's POV

_The roar of a dragon was all I could hear as I opened my eyes. White light so bright it stung my eyes blinded me as I tried to look towards the sky to find the creature from which the beautiful sound had resonated. After a moment of blinking to clear my vision I could finally make out the brilliant blue scales glistening in the moonlight, the blue eyes bowed her head only an inch or two in front of me. I reached a tentative hand out to touch the side of her face, just under her eyes, those eyes like two night sky's looking into my soul. _

" _Are you lonely child?" the voice of a woman sounded in my mine, I knew it was from the blue eyes and I tilted my head to the side curiously. Was I lonely? I had Mokaba, who was getting older... and I had myself and that was all I had ever needed right. Right?_

" _there was once a time you thought differently." she spoke slowly as the ground beneath us shifted and dissolved. Suddenly I found myself drifting through clouds and clear blue sky until I could make out the rich oranges and golden hues of sand dunes against sunset. What was it about sand, why was I always going back to the sand. Just as I began to make out the outline of what looked like a city and maybe a palace everything went black and I heard the sound of a man chanting in some dialect that I had never heard before. It sounded older than time as the words repeated in my ear like the steady beat of a drum..._

I awoke cold and shivering, my legs were tangled in my sheets and my comforter tossed in the floor. I sat up slowly, my head still hazy from sleeping. From dreaming, the same dream I had been having since the world had nearly ended at the hands of Dartz and his 'Great Leviathan'. My world had been turned upside down, suddenly _magic_ of all things slapped me into reality. I had spent years trying to ignore and shun the magic that Yugi and his gang preached of. The heart of the cards, I could accept that with little difficulty, but ancient Pharaohs and Magical items... and lets not forget the giant fucking sea serpent that consumed my very soul. I was forced to surrender my pride even silently to admit that it was all true. Every fantasy that Yugi and his geek went on and on about was real, I had been there and I remembered. At least I remembered some things, that is.

I had never told anyone though, not Yugi, not Mokaba, not even the cheerleader who went off to college last year when the two of us had graduated early. It was my understanding that she was accepted at Julliard, a first class Dance academy in the States. I decided against college, seeing as how I already ran the most profitable company in Japan and one of the best in the world at that. I had taken business classes when I was younger and only just took over the company from Gozoboro. Yugi and the Mutt both failed, blaming it on the added stress of dueling and saving the world, and I actually wasn't sure about the rest of those geeks. It surprised me that I had remembered this much about them after not having seen them since Kaiba Corp Grand Prix. True that had only been a few months ago, but after graduating I had went pretty far under the radar.

I ran a shaky hand through my sweat slicked hair, I made a face and stood quickly walking into the bathroom. After relieving myself I turned on the shower as hot as it gets and then turned to brush my teeth. When I was done I stepped into the shower feeling instantly better, water propelled against my skin at all angles from the 12 shower heads I had installed. I stood there for a while with my eyes closed enjoying the warmth and letting my mind wander. I could hear a soft giggle, only in my thoughts and I saw a flash of red before eyes opened in the darkness of my mind. Soft, but yet sharp at the same Time. Large and doe like and such a shocking crimson red that it was in contrast to the innocence that was shining in the deep red pools.

Then my thoughts shifted, and suddenly I could feel the sand sticking to my bare back as I was laying on the ground. The sound of water rushing to my right and the brilliance of orange, blue, purple, golden rays dancing and intertwining as the sun set to my left. Suddenly I could hear her, and all other sounds faded, and then her beautiful eyes opened and the sky was nothing. Suddenly I could feel her, all of her inside and out.

My eyes opened wide with an almost audible 'pop'. This wasn't a memory per say, but more my imagination getting astray. I had enough dreams and memory's of 'her' to know the difference. Though I didn't know her name, and didn't remember how we met. I could remember her smell, and the sound of her voice, her laugh. I could remember what kissing her felt like, and how the long nights were when we were apart. I knew she was from my pat life, in Egypt. And I knew I loved her. More than anything, more than I loved myself or my company. As much as I hated myself for admiring it, more than my brother even. But that was unfair, it was a different kind of love entierly. A love that I had been denied in this life. A love I didn't understand at all. But that didn't make me want it any less...

I ran a hand down my stomach until I came into contact with my swollen member, of course thinking about 'her' like 'that' would do 'this'. I sighed and began the chore of getting rid of this nuisance, how I longed for the warmth of someone else. How had I not noticed this before, sure there had been times that I felt lonely. Moments when I knew one day I would be completely alone. Maybe even times when I had longed... but never before had it been put into so much clarity for me, I wanted something. I wanted more, not for Mokaba but for myself. I wanted something for me, and that was a new thought all together for me. Everything I did I did for my little brother, but then Yugi and his geek friends came around. The Pharaoh came around and crushed my mind, leaving me vulnerable to all new thoughts and feeling I had forgotten existed.

I finished cleaning myself once I was done and turned off the water. Once dry and dressed I packed my laptop up and grabbed my brief case. I chose to skip breakfast this morning, in a rush to get to work where I could distract myself from my own thoughts. Let these idiots I call employees bring on the shit, as if I didn't have enough of my own as it was.

Kyrri's POV

My alarm buzzing in my ear woke me up. As I lifted me head from my pillow and looked around groggily I slammed my fist down on the annoying clock. I narrowed my eyes as I pulled a piece of notebook paper off the side of my face where my drool had created ample adhesive. Why hadn't I woken up before my alarm like I usually did? I slept hard, too hard. I had the craziest dreams but I couldn't seem to remember anything from them. Accept blue. How weird is that?

I stood and stretched my arms and back. Pulling my school uniform out of my school bag I turned and grabbed a blood red shirt long sleeved v-neck sweater out of my closet that matched my eyes perfectly. I changed it for the black sleeved shirt I was wearing that was a lot baggier than the red one. Then I threw my white school shirt over it and kept my ugly piny jacket in my bag. The red clashed with the blue skirt but I didn't care. I packed a pair of tight fitting black with red pinstripe dress pants for after school and gathered my books and homework. I still hadn't writing one word for my English project, but at least I had a while before that was due.

I turned to the small mirror I kept hung on my wall and began the task of brushing through my long and thick hair. I loved my hair it was, next to my eyes, my favorite feature. I looked nothing like my mother, or my father. Something I think began the destruction of my parents marriage that ended with my mothers suicide. Saddened by my darkened thoughts I tried to focus on my hair. Once all the tangles were out I decided to french braid it down the right side so it hung over my shoulder. I put a little mascara on and a little lip gloss, never needing much more makeup than that and left making sure to lock both doors behind me. My father was nowhere to be found and I let out a sigh of relief as I made my way to the sidewalk where Jou was waiting for me dutiful.

He smiled brightly, probably happy that I wasn't having a break down this morning. He didn't say anything though to which I was glad. We made petty conversation on our way to school about our favorite duel monster cards and strategies. I found myself more and more comfortable around Jou as the days passed and I was once again glad to have made friends this time around. I had moved a lot in my life and I never seemed to have enough time to make any friends. But these boys had warmed up to me immediately.

I smiled as we approached the school and I could see Yugi and Ryou waiting for us, they were yelling at each other with their chests puffed out. It was actually comical, as I realized this really was a normal every day event. Yugi turned when he noticed me and a bright grin broke his face as well. His deep red eyes shinning, wait...

" _Do you think she's up there Kye?" Atem asked as he stood behind me. I kept looking at the stars, with much the same thoughts myself. Unsure as I was I felt the need to comfort my twin. I grabbed his hand and pointed up to a particularly bright star. _

" _Did you see that one yesterday?" I asked as I continued to look to the star I pointed to. He tried to see, so I stood behind him and held my arm next to his face still pointing. He turned to look at me._

" _Well, no but how could I remember?" he asked sounding skeptical. I smiled and touched his face gently._

" _Well I didn't and I know for a fact that it was only here just tonight. that's her Atem, that's our Mother watching us from above. She will always be with us, in out smiles, in the wind and from beyond the afterlife. From now on when you look at the sky you will search for that star, even if you don't realize it and you will find her." he looked back to the sky, not believing that the start was just here suddenly, but the sentiment was the same. He had tears in his eyes as he turned and hugged me._

I stood and stared into Yugi's eyes, his crimson eyes that looked so much like mine. I know my mouth must be hanging open, I felt like I was in shock. Those were dreams, nothing more. I had been having them since I was a little girl, but that's all they were right? My head started to pound and I grabbed it and hissed in pain.

"Kyrri are you okay?" Yugi asked as he gripped my shoulder. I couldn't speak, I didn't know what to say. My thoughts were a jumble that I couldn't make sense of. I was jerked suddenly and turned into someone else's grip. I could make out bickering between Yugi and Ryou and I looked up into Ryou's eyes and was struck with just as much confusion. Why did they look so familiar?

Suddenly my wrist started to burn as I jerked it into my hands and yelled out from the pain once again. Ryou grabbed my wrist and yanked my sleeve up, I was too shocked from the pain to worry about what he would surely see. My bracelet was glowing brightly, and searing hot. I tried to pry it off but only burned myself more in the process. I sank down to the concrete on my knees, scared and unsure of what was going on. All three boys dropped with me.

" Get that thing off of her." Yugi demand to Ryou as Ryou began to try and pry it off as well. He bit his lip at the pain of touching it but kept pulling. I felt tears fall as I saw images fill my mind, I couldn't make any sense of any of it. As he jerked my wrist I felt my recent cuts tear open and burn with white hot pain. I cried out.

" Stop Bakura you're hurting her!" Jou yelled and Ryou dropped my hands. He stared at his own silently, I know he saw what I saw. Blood covering his finger. I pulled my sleeve down over my bracelet and sighed as the burning stopped. I kept my head down, not wanting to meet anyone's eyes.

What the hell just happened? Never before had my bracelet reacted like that. Never before had I seen so much all at once. I still couldn't make out anything in the jumble of images that flashed before my eyes. Or the little day dream I had. Why did Yugi loo so much like the boy from my dream, and why did Ryou look so familiar too. As a matter o' fact why did they keep calling him by a different name.

" Why are you called Bakura?" I asked as I drew a big breath and rose my eyes to meet his. He fidgeted, and looked up at Jou with a glare. Yugi was the one to answer as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

" That is his surname, but more importantly are you okay?" he asked sounding calm and in control of the situation. I shook my head. No I wasn't okay.

" What the hell was that?" Jou asked pulling my attention away from Yugi's eyes. I shrugged , really I had no idea. Ryou cleared his throat before he spoke again.

" I've never seen anything like that and I have seen my fair share of strange." he shifted until he was sitting cross legged in front of me. I noticed that all the kids had disappeared from around us, the bell must have rang without us noticing. " Has that ever happened before?" he asked as he tried to reach for my wrist again. I jerked it away unwilling to let him pull up my sleeve again. He grunted but did as I wished and pulled away.

" No, up until now this has been a totally normal piece of jewelry." I sighed and shook me head to clear my thoughts. I decided now was not the time to worry about my over abundant imagination and I filed my dreams aside for later.

" Perhaps it reacted to the Items?" Yugi asked looking to Ryou for answers. Ryou merely shrugged, and it surprised me that they were actually having a civil conversation.

" Do you feel anything? Any different? Do you remember anything? Anything at all?" Ryou asked sounding hopeful. I shook my head. No these weren't memories, I was just crazy and maybe it was finally catching up to me. I stood up and dusted myself off looking at the school with caution. Could I handle class after what had just happened? I never skipped and just where would I go if I could? Certainly not home, that was a laugh.

Just as I was about to take a step towards the building Ryou grabbed my hand and pulled me the other way.

" Sometimes its better to regain your forces before you face your responsibilities." he said as he pulled me along. Yugi and Jou followed suit looking suspiciously at him. I just let him pull me secretly glad to have an excuse to ditch today's lessons. Its not like I would get into any trouble anyways, at least not at home. We walked in silence, Ryou never actual giving me my hand back until we stopped in front of a noodle shop. My mouth watered instantly as the smells of top quality ramen made their way into my nose.

" So what should we do today?" Jou asked breaking what had become an awkward silence. I smiled at him in thanks, I felt weird sitting here with them after they had just seen... what ever it was that had happened..

Oh lets go to the arcade!" Yugi offered sounding giddy, when I looked I noticed his eyes were different now. They were a soft lavender, and his voice was quieter, more child like. What? I shook my head more sure than before I was going crazy.

" I'm game." Jou said, as Ryou shrugged. All eyes turned to me, wait was it my decision. Faltered by that I nodded and smiled. Everyone grinned and began devouring their ramen as soon as it was placed before us. I began eating as well and all conversation was stopped as we enjoyed the delicious meal before us. It was hands down the best ramen I had had in my life.

When we were done I found myself following them to an arcade that was about a mile away. I found myself more surprised everyday how big this city was, and it was just a subdivision of Tokyo. Jou walked with me up front while Ryou and Yugi walked behind us quietly arguing about something, Yugi's voice had once again grown deeper and I tied to ignore it, sure it was my imagination. I would think I had imagined the whole episode earlier if the boys hadn't seen it too.

" So I saw your dad this morning." Jou said slowly, as if he was gauging my reaction. My eyes widened and I looked at him. His fists clenched and his jaw tightened.

" and..." I prompted for him to continue. He looked away and took a breath.

" And that's really all I need to say isn't it." he whispered. I looked away myself, he was right of course, my father was horrible. In looks and attitude, he screamed junkie from a mile away. I held my tears in check. Luckily he didn't say anything else, though I knew I would have to talk to him later, beg him not to tell a soul. This was my problem and mine alone. No one could help me with it.

We finally made it to the arcade and once again I noticed the difference in Yugi as he ran over to a game immediately. Jou followed him and they both enthusiastically began playing. I found my way over to something that I was familiar with. I laughed when I realized it was 'Mrs PacMan' but decided to give it a go anyways. I used to be really good at this when I was younger.

I lost track of the time and soon found myself on some insanely high level getting 5000 point bananas. All the boys had made their way around me to watch as well as some fellow arcade goers. I avoided the ghosts and kept clearing rounds until suddenly the game froze. Confused I put in another quarter, but instead the game just shut off.

" Wow I've never seen anyone make it to level 252!" Yugi squealed as he jumped behind me. I turned confused, and angry that the game died.

" There's a bug in the level, though the game should be able to loop continue sly the bug halts game play at that level but I have never actually seen it. Wow. You are one hell of a gamer, I would love to duel you sometime." he said smiling, this made me smile as well. Forget dumb old Mrs PacMan if its a duel he wants it a duel he gets.

" Your On Yugi." I said confidently, if there was one thing I was good at it was dueling, king of games or no he was going down. We walked over to a table that was set up for the sole purpose of dueling and began shuffling.

(about an hour later. Sorry I suck at writing Duels, maybe I'll put one in here later but for now I just don't know what to write. Needless to say we all know who wins.)

" Damn it, I've never lost before." I cursed as I began picking up my cards with a sour look on my face. To say I was angry at myself was an understatement. I was good at two things, art and Duel monster and now I just lost.

" Don't take it so hard Kyrri, no body has ever beat Yugi, hes da king of games after all." Jou said with a smirk. I just glared at him. And put my cars away. Yugi only laughed as he put his deck away as well.

" You did a good job Kyrri, I haven't had a challenge like that since I last dueled Kaiba." Yugi seemed to be enjoying my defeat, or maybe I was just being a sore looser. I made a metal promise that I wouldn't stop until I had beaten Yugi at a duel.

" Speaking of money bags do you work tonight?" Jou asked and I nodded, I noticed this made Ryou seem angry. Perhaps him and Mr Kaiba had some kind of beef, it seemed like Yugi didn't care much for him either.

" He better behave himself." Jou laughed causing Yugi to laugh too.

" If he doesn't you let me know, I'll destroy him..." Ryou said darkly. This only made the others laugh even harder for some reason. I laughed along with them, I didn't get the joke but I was happy to be with friends. I looked at my phone and realized school let out 45 minutes ago. Gasping I stood up and grabbed my bag. Everyone looked at me surprised as I began to head for the door.

" I just remembered, if I don't leave now I'll be late and I don't want to start with a bad impression the first time I meet my new boss." I saw Jou snicker again and Ryou jab him in the ribs with his elbow making Jou screech and holler in pain. I rolled my eyes and stated running towards the latest building in Domino.

It took me no time at all to get there, I had slowed to a light jog after a bit and when I ran up the stairs and into the building the receptionist smiled.

" Identification please." she said soft as I pulled my Kaiba corp ID card from my bag.

" make sure you keep it visible when you enter the building from now on. You will need to scan this at the elevator to be able to get to Mr. Kaiba's suit. And good luck." I nodded and made my way over to the bathroom before I went to the elevator. I used on of the large stalls to change out of my uniform. I kept the top and slid on the nice pants before I looked in the mirror. My hair was still in place, my face red from the exercise I did to get here. But other than that I thought I looked good. Putting my ID lanyard on my neck I exited the bathroom and made my way up to the second to top floor where Azania waited.

" You're here early. I like that. And you look much better too. Okay, lets go meet the boss. Stand straight, smile and look confident." she smiled while I gulped, was he really that bad. Just what had I gotten myself into here? I followed her up to the next floor through the personal elevator. We walked through a very short hallway and too a large cherry wood door with a golden plaque that read 'Seto Kaiba CEO.' she turned the door knob without knocking and stepped into the bright room.

It took my eyes a moment to adjust to the light coming through the floor to ceiling windows that were three of the four walls. Mr. Kaiba didn't even look away from his laptop as he continued typing furiously. Azania cleared her throat to gain his attention, he cast cold and hard cerulean eyes on her that showed he had little patience for her presence.

" Yes Keeto what do you want?" he snapped as he turned his attention back to his computer, I stepped around her more deciding to be bold as I straightened my back and held out my hand across his desk. He raised his eye to mine but didn't respond. In fact he looked a little taken aback.

" My name is Kyrri Rutherford, I am from Domino High and your first attendant to the "Business theory and method for underprivileged youths.'" I said the last part with a slight smile as recognition reached his eyes. She stood and gripped my hand, the second he touched me I felt my bracelet grow warm. Not again! But this time it was only a mellow heat.

He just stared, without speaking for a moment. I waited for him to introduce himself, and wondered what was wrong. Deciding to be brave I met his eyes with my own, crimson met ocean blue and I forgot whatever I was thinking. I had dreamed of those eyes, I had seen them again and again. But where, how and why? Azania cleared her throat awkwardly with a glare to her green eyes. Mr. Kaiba jerked his hand from mine and cleared his throat as well. I just hung my arms limply at my side lost in this situation.

" Nice to meet you Miss Rutherford, as part of the program you will shadow me, to meeting and events. It would be wise to take notes, note one I like my coffee black." he said as he sat down and began typing again I nodded and scrambled to pull out a note book. Azania laughed and clicked her tongue.

" That means you get him some coffee. Now. She said as she turned and quickly left the room. I nodded again to myself and scanned the room, there was no coffee in here so I made my way out of the large door and into the elevator following Azania. Once in what I was now calling the secretary's control room I saw a high tech coffee/cappuccino maker on the left wall I made an individual cup as quickly as the machine would allow and with shaking hands made my way back up to the office.

I thought about knocking, it was respectful wasn't it. But then again he was a busy man and surely he wouldn't want to be disturbed by answering the door. Besides he had asked me to make him his drink. I opened the door before I could change my mind and took five long strides to the lavish desk. Mr. Kaiba's eyes were closed and he was pinching the bridge of his nose as if he had a head ache. I sat the coffee down quickly and reached into my bag where I pulled out a bottle of Excedrin. Placing two next to the cup, he narrowed his eyes.

"I get migraines a lot. These are regular over the counter Excedrin. It will help." I said as I backed away quietly. He didn't move, just watched me go. Just as I reached the door I turned with another burst of courage and smiled.

" If you need anything, or have anything for me to do for you please let me know. Until then I am going to ask Azania for a map of the building so I know my way around. Also, I should copy her planner since I am going to be your shadow from now on."

Azania gave me the map, and already had a copy of Mr. Kaiba's schedule downloaded onto a PTA device. I was once again shocked at the perks of this job. She had me go to work right away organizing Mr. Kaiba's paperwork by importance. She explained that any business proposals were absolutely important as well as any complaints on our products. But that employee complaints and requests were the somewhat important and anything else was to be put in last bin, for Mr. Kaiba to loo at when he had time. Which I was told was never.

The Night went by quickly as I worked and before I knew it Mr. Kaiba came walking out of the elevator. Azania stood immediately and grabbed his coat from a rack that was next to the wall of windows. She snatched it from her without a thanks and kept walking. Just as he reached to elevator and without turning around he spoke.

" I'm going home early. You are both dismissed for the night, but don't get used to this kid. I expect you to stay until at least 10pm unless otherwise told." and with that he left. I stared wide eyes where he had disappeared into the elevator. Azania looked just as shocked. Checking the time I realized it was only 8pm. I finished the last bit of organizing and packed my school bag. Azania grabbed her coat and waited for me by the elevator. As we reached the ground floor I waved good bye not getting a response from my superior.

I made my way home quietly, I was deep in though from today's events. I still didn't know what happened with my bracelet twice today. I didn't know anymore about these millennium items since Ryou had spoken of them at lunch. I wondered if my bracelet really was some ancient artifact. I wondered what it would have been to live in Egypt. But I already knew that didn't I? I mean I had dreamed about it countless times before, and now people from my dreams were popping up everywhere. Did that make me crazy or physic... or maybe it really was some kind of a past life. But that sounded silly. I scoffed at the idea that I had once had a life besides this hell I lived in now. Keep dreaming Kyrri.

I found that I was once again alone in this depressing house, not that I preferred the alternative. I decided I wasn't hungry after the day I had and that I needed a shower. I couldn't skip another day. Swallowing my fears I grabbed a pair of baggy blue swats and a blue tank top and made my way into the bathroom. My shower was as fast as I could make it, the fear of my father coming home and finding me again was almost too much for me to handle, and all other worried from the day washed away in the wake of my fear.

When I was done I could hear sounds in the living room. I froze, my hand hovering just above the door knob. He was here, he would hear me, see me, touch me. He would hurt me. I felt tears slip over my still damp cheeks and I turned my back to the door and leaned against it. I slid to the ground and put my head on my knees. My wet hair flowed around me and touched the floor just barely. I cried quietly wishing I could disappear.

"Oh daughter of mine where are you?" he sang trying to sound sweet. I only tightened my grip around my knees and held my breath. I could hear him in my room, once again I had left the door unlocked in my haste to shower. At least I had cloths this time.

"I said where the fuck are you brat?" he raised his voice more as I could hear him tearing through my room. I didn't know what he was looking for, and I didn't care as I waited trying to stay as silent as possible so I could hear him.

I could hear him laugh as he exited my room and walked down the hall. I swear I could hear him breathing as he approached the bathroom door. He twisted the knob, it jiggled as it was locked and I heard him laugh again.

" HAVE IT YOUR WAY LITTLE CUNT." He screamed through the door, this made me jump a little and scoot away from the door in fear closing my eyes and praying he would just leave. " the more you run, the worse it will be when I do find you... Mm. He all but whispered through the door. Silence surrounded me for a moment, but I dare not move. Suddenly a loud bang on the door and then I could hear him stalking away. Once I heard the front door shut I let my sobs rack though me. I don't know how long I cried, before I was able to pick myself up and venture to my room.

Nothing was where I left it, the whole room was torn apart. Cloths all over the floor and my books scattered around the small space. My school bag was on the floor by my feet, I picked it up and realized that he had taken my money. What cash I had, all of 54$ and left everything else. I wanted to cry, not for the money but for the pain he was causing me.

I locked my door and pushed my dresser in front of it just to be sure and then crawled into bed with the light on. I knew I wouldn't get much sleep, and I didn't care how terrible my room looked. Things seemed to be spinning anyways, everything was torn apart, not just my room but my lief. I kept trying so hard to ignore it, to focus on other things. But the other night had broken me, shutting me down at first and then I forced myself to become engrosed in the people around me in some sick fantasy I had been having since I was a child. All because I was so afraid of my own life.

Tears rolled down my cheeks in monster droplets as I sobbed my heart out. Everything was nothing, there was nothing in my world. Pain waved through me and the room began to spin. I gasped for air and hiccuped making myself see spots as I hyperventilated.

I knew what I had to do, as I jumped from my bed in almost auto-pilot, I dug under my mattress, the one thing that didn't look like it was moved. I reached my whole arms length under it in the center until my fingers grqaed a smooth plastic case.

Pulling it out snifled and wiped my tears away so I could see and opened the case pulling out my only way to calm down. Two small but sharp razor blades. I looked away biting my lip as I pressed it to against my skin but sighed as soon as I pressed down and gracefully sliced down the length of my wrist. Not enough to seriously hurt myself, but enough to feel something other than the unbearable pain I was already in. my muscles relaxed as I continued marring my already scared wrist once more.

I wiped the blade off on my pants and put it away and grabbed a towel that was on my chair to hold against my wounds. I started to feel dizzy in a different kind of way. Not as aware of my thoughts anymore. I smiled as I began to drift to sleep. When I was completely gone into a surprisingly calm dream I only remembered hearing the sound of water rushing and the most beautiful blue eyes I had ever seen.

Kry: So how did everyone like the Fifth Chapter? So another frightening end to Kyrri's day once again. As I mentioned earlier about others point of view's. I am glad to be writing more of Kaiba as I will refer to him early on and for a while. I'm sure some people are of put by my characters being out of character. I do apologize this is just how I envision this unfolding if these events were to actually happen. This is my vision and my baby, I hope that every one respects it, but I will always be pleased with some healthy criticism.


	6. Chapter 6

Kry: So here is Chapter Six, I do not Own YuGiOh at all, though I wish I could have just one day with Seto Kaiba... A girl can dream right? Anyways

Seto's POV

I sat in the farthest seat to the back of my limo with my head resting in my hands. Hunched over, my elbows rested against my knees and my eyes closed. My driver stood outside of the closed door shifting uncomfortably, I had been sitting in the limo for about thirty minutes as he waited for me to exit so he could park the car in the mansion garage. Deciding that sitting here was accomplishing absolutely nothing I stretched my long limbs and opened the door startling my driver, he jumped slightly and bowed respectfully.

" Good night Mr. Kaiba." he said as he stepped to the side letting me pass. I nodded but otherwise gave no indication that I had actually heard him speak to me. Once inside the mansion I pulled my heavy white trench coat off, my butler was at the ready to take it from me.

" Home early Mr. Kaiba?" he smiled at me kindly as he took my briefcase from me. I sighed, not really in the mood for conversation but my butler had been in my service for years now. Even before I was the head of the house in the dark days of Gozoboro. He had looked out for me during those hard times even once risking his job and his own life to stand between my crazed adoptive father. Gozoboro had nearly killed the poor man, beating him to near death and ordering he get out of his sight and never return. It wasn't until my father committed suicide by jumping from the top floor of Kaiba Corp that I had tracked him down and given him his job back. Who better to help me protect Mokaba than someone who had given up everything to protect us in the past.

" I wasn't feeling myself tonight." I said as I plopped down into the thick cushioned chair closest to the fireplace. I closed my eyes and began to rub my temples, trying to ease the headache I was having.

" Would you like me to bring a cup of tea to your office?" He asked hovering beside me worried. I shook my head as I leaned down further into the cushions of the chair.

" No, I'll take it here." I mumbled as he promptly marched away to make my drink. Stopped rubbing my temples and threw an arm over my closed eyes, even the light coming through my lids was brutally painful. Images passed through my head so fast it was hard for me to decipher them. Ever since this afternoon when I had met my new employee, Kyrri Rutherford.

It was her eyes, those eyes that I swear I had sen a million times. I dreamed about those stunning crimson eyes every night without knowing who their owner was. Now I had the face to match the eyes, everything just became ten times more complicated. The only thing I was sure of was that this was the same woman that I had loved through this life and the last.

I have spent so much time ignoring the crazy things happening in my life, becoming a master at not only hiding my feelings but denying them all together. But slowly over the last few months I was being forced to accept more and more of this life I once lived. In the last four months my world had flipped upside down and back again. Every night I dreamed of my life in Egypt, and every morning I woke up hating this life I had made for myself more and more. Suddenly I wasn't satisfied anymore, I wanted more but I just didn't know what I wanted, until now.

How do you even go about something like this anyways. _'Hey you, girl I just met. We actually know each other from a past life. How? Well see you were my wife...Wait wife?_ Well I guess that's what you would have called us, just when did I remember that. Yesterday I couldn't even remember her name, tonight I could recall her favorite color and that she was... Atem's sister. Atem? Wait, other Yugi...

" No. of all people why him?" I suddenly stood up so fast that my butler dropped the tea he was carrying to me. Half of it landed on my chest and the other half landed on my pearl white carpet. He dropped down immediately bowing in apology as he began to clean up the cup on the floor.

" Mr. Kaiba, please forgive me. You jumped so quickly that I dropped your tea. I will make you another immediately Sir." he stuttered over his words as he stood with the broken cup in hand.

" No Xavier, that wont be necessary. I'm going to bed." He watched me in shock as I retreated to my bedroom without so much as an angry glance or comment. I slammed my door just to make sure that I gave a little attitude. I took off my tie and my dress shirt and threw them on the floor in a haste and then stripped down to my boxers before I crawled into bed. Suddenly I felt like I was going to be very ill and it didn't even have anything to do with the Pharaoh.

Now that I think about it, more memories flooded my mind. I could remember the first time that I met Kyrri, her name had remained the same though mine had changed slightly.

" _These will be your sleeping quarters boy. You will begin your lessons tomorrow at dawn in the library." This was all that was said to me by the grumpy looking old man who had escorted me through the hallways of the palace. Today I passed the sorcery test to become a priest of the pharaoh. Finally after years of training and preparation I was getting a shot at my dream. A peasant boy no longer, but a protector of the realm and the Pharaoh. _

_I smiled my thanks as I looked around the room, though I could tell that this room was tiny in comparison to most of the other rooms in the palace it was bigger than I had imagined it would be. Coming from such a small village before it had burned down, that was the only home I had ever known. The life of a poor widows son. _

_This small room to me was grand, amazing even. It was a symbol of me new life, hard work was sure to come but it would all be worth it when I became a priest. My mother would be so proud of me now, if she were here. I walked slowly towards the small window that was above a wooden desk. Outside the stars shown brightly over the deep blue sky, the moon hung in a half crescent just above the rushing rapids of the Nile. I could see the soft glow of torches glowing from the city below, never before in my life had I had the opportunity to cast my eyes upon such a beautiful view._

_I turned from the window quickly, deciding that I needed a walk through the court yard to clear my mind so that I could start tomorrow anew. It took me a few tries to find my way through the right twists and turns of the corridors through the palace and I kept having to dodge guards on occasion, not thinking it was a good idea to be caught sneaking through the halls at night. _

_Finally I reached the palace gardens, from where I stood I could see a perfect place to meditate. Under a willow tree that was surrounded by sycamores and fig trees was a little pathway, as I walked towards the trees I realized that the beauty was only greater beyond the berth of the trees. The Nile ran maybe a hundred feet out, and a calm part of the water came in like a little circular pool. In the center of the pool was a beautiful building covered in more sea shells than I could count, plum palms and more willows shaded the pool and the building that looked like it was a shrine. Beautiful blue and white lotuses swayed in the shallow waters edge, and I could see papyrus near the back. The water was so clear I could see fish swimming through the flower and papyrus stalks. The reflection of the moon glittered across the rippling water making everything glow. _

" _Beautiful isn't it?" asked a voice behind me, I turned to see a girl, maybe a year or two younger than myself. She had long flowing midnight black hair and beautiful crimson eyes that stood in contrast to her lightly tanned skin. She wore a delicate golden head piece just below her bangs and matching golden arm bands on her upper arms. Her white dress waved with the light breeze around her ankles and as I raised my eyes up again I noticed a beautiful golden trinket bracelet with the eye of Ra charm dangling against her wrist. _

" _My lady." I said as I quickly bowed out of respect, obviously she was the princess. I had been briefed in short about the Pharaoh and his children. Princess Kyrri and her twin brother Atem, heir to the throne. _

" _Oh, none of that. Get up please." she asked awkwardly shifting her feet. I immediately stood up and stood at attention. she made a face of her disapproval at my behavior so I tried to relax a little._

" _My name is Kyrri, whats yours?" She questioned as she took a few steps closer to the water until her toes touched the edge of the cool liquid. She watched the moon as she waited for my answer, her hair flowed in the breeze and in the light of the moon she looked like a goddess. I scolded myself for my improper thoughts and shifted on me feet nervously. _

" _You do have a name don't you and didn't your mother ever teach you that its rude to stare?" She asked with a giggle when my eye brows shot up. _

" _My name is Seth, and my mother is no longer with me Princess." I walked a little closer to her as I spoke, until I stood a about a foot away with my feet in the water as well. For a moment we just stood there and watched the moon together before she turned a sad but smiling face my way._

" _My deepest apologies Seth, my mother died seven moons ago as well. She was very sick and one morning she just didn't wake up. How did your mother die?" She asked as she sat down at the waters edge, being careful to keep her dress from getting wet. This exposed more of her long legs and I had to force myself to look away._

" _My village was raided and destroyed by bandits. She had sent me to the market here at the edge of the palace, so I was away at the time but when I returned all that was left was ash." I coughed awkwardly, feeling nervous to be telling a stranger such personal matters. But what was I to do, when the princess asks a question you better believe you have to answer it honestly._

" _Oh my... forgive me for asking." She stuttered as she turned to me with two crystal like tears caught in her ruby eyes. I was taken aback by her actions, why did she care, it wasn't her problem. Before I knew what was happening she threw her arms around my shoulders and hugged me fiercely. I stood very still, not sure how to react but that didn't seem to bother her. She cried for a while, tightly clung to my robes, eventually I raised an arm to rub small circles on her shoulders to ease her sorrow. More than once she apologized, but I truly didn't mind. It didn't matter what she was crying for, herself or me. It didn't matter that she was a princess and I was to begin training tomorrow to become a priest. For that single moment, life stood still; as if nothing in the universe could matter more._

I woke up cold, covered in a thin sheet of sweat. I rolled over and quickly grabbed the trash can that stayed between my bed and my bedside table and emptied the contents of my stomach into it. My head was spinning, full of too much information for me to handle. I had spent the night dreaming, no _remembering_ everything. Every moment, every glance, every kiss, every fight. Literally everything about Kyrri and Atem, about Egypt and myself. I realized with a clarity that I was nothing like the man I used to be, I was cold and calculation, instead of caring and loving. I was distant to the people I cared about. I was hated by most everyone. I hated myself... I hated almost everything about this life besides my baby brother.

I stood, my head still spinning and had to catch myself on the wall as I stumbled to the bathroom hastily. I needed to get clean, to wash away my uneasiness. I let the hot water run down my back as I tried to make sense of my crazy thoughts. I didn't know what to do at all, I didn't know how to handle this situation. All I was sure about was that this girl had to be the same woman from Egypt. She had to be Kyrri, the name was the same, the eyes the hair even her smile was identical to my long lost love. But just how did she get here, she died. I mean we all died eventually, but she sacrificed herself so that her brother could seal Bakura's soul in the ring, thus sealing his own soul away. The Pharaoh paid his price, so did his sister. Shit so did I! Maybe I shouldn't be surprised that she had made her way back just like the others.

Still I felt torn, obviously she had no recollection of me, of us. It broke my heart, but at the same time I had lived a whole life without even knowing that any of that actually happened and once Yugi and his gang came along trying to shove it down my throat I had adamantly ignored it all. Perhaps that was my subconscious way of saving myself pain. Pain, pain like I had never felt before was pulsing from my heart into my veins and throughout my whole body. It physically hurt, and I was struggling to maintain myself.

I could remember the moment she pushed the blade through her own heart, I could remember as she began to crumple to the floor, Atem ans I had rushed forward to catch her before she hit the cold stone floor. Bakura had stopped in his tracks, the first signs of real emotion crossing his eyes. We had all watched as she died. I had stabbed and killed my best friend, my ruler, my brother. I had held him over the ceremonial bowl until his life force had drained and mixed with my loves and then I had finished casting the spell that had sealed the Pharaoh and Bakura and destroyed Kyrri's soul. They were wiped from the memory of Egypt, from the hearts and minds of all including my own. Then I had carried on my life living a lie as the new Pharaoh. I carried an emptiness to the grave that seemed to have followed me into the next life.

I gasped for breath as the emotion from a millinia alone rushed over me like a tidal wave. I slid to the floor of the shower for the first time in years surcoming to my pain and let the tears fall.

Yami's POV

I paced through most of the night, Up and down the endless catacombs of my soul room without realizing it until I began to scince Yugi stir as he woke up. I sighed, still no closer to any answers than I had been yesterday. It was torturing me to not know, to know I should know _something_ but don't. I was too frustrated to rest, and I was paying the price for my negligence. I could feel my tiredness creeping up in the back of my mind.

I Just needed to remember, to figure out just who Kyrri was and who she is now. I already felt protective of her, the strongest desire to protect anyone besides Yugi. She must have been someone important to me to elicit such a reaction out of me without me having a clue who she is.

" _Yami." _Yugi appeared behind me, a gentle hand placed on my shoulder. When I turned to face him with a smile he looked sad as he tugged on the hem of his pajama top sleeve.

" _You didn't sleep at all did you?"_ He held my gaze looking so upset that I immediately felt bad with out having to know what upset him. I hated to hurt my Yugi.

" Yes Aibou, I'm sorry I just can't stop thinking about this. I know that she is important, I just don't know why and its frustrating me to no end." My excuse only seemed to make him frown more. Lines creasing his four-head as he turned away. I reached an arm out and returned his comforting gesture by holding his shoulder. He stopped but didn't turn to face me.

" Please tell me what I have done to offend you so I can apologize appropriately." I whispered worried. Yugi wasn't normally so, dramatic.

" _You think I'm being dramatic?"_ I frowned as he turned angry eyes at me. I was shocked, I had sen him angry plenty of times but never at me. I never realized just how calloused Yugi could make himself look when he wanted to. I couldn't figure out what to say to excuse my train of thought. He waited a few second before he made a disappointed sound in the back of his throat and started to fade away.

" Yugi wait, I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that. Please come back..." Too late, he already disappeared from my vision, and the sound of hie soul rooms door slamming vibrated through my ears. I kicked the dust on the floor in shame, I hadn't meant it in a negative fashion, I was just surprised by his behavior. He had been sullen the last few days and he hadn't talked to me as much, there were even times he had surrendered control of his body and retreated into his soul room silently and without explanation.

I shifted into control and got dressed quickly. Yugi had taken a shower the night before so all I had to do was brush my teeth and comb through this unruly hair. A small and selfish part of me cherished these time. I love Yugi and to spend time with him, but in moments when I was alone, in control of his body I could pretend it was my own. When I did something so normal as to brush my teeth, something so human I could forget all about the fact that I would never be 'human' in that reset again.

I was just reaching the bottom of the stairs after I had dressed for school as the phone rang.

" Kame Game Shop Yami speaking." I said my name without thinking and bit my tongue. Sometimes it was hard not the think of myself as myself, especially when I was alone like this.

" Ah Pharaoh, how are you on this lovely morning?" Jii-Chan asked over the receiver. I gulped wondering briefly if he was angry I had answered and not Yugi.

" I am alright, and you?" I asked nervously, he chuckled a sigh. I fidgeted with the phone, and shifted it to the other ear.

" I am well, but I scince that you are not would you like to talk about it?" I frowned, even half way across the world he could hear that something was wrong.

" Yugi is angry with me." I spoke quickly as I looked around the corner to the clock on the wall. I still had ten minutes before I needed to leave. I could spare a few for Yugi's grandfather.

" Ah a lover quarrel I see." he laughed, only making my embarrassment worse as my face turned bright red.

" There's a new girl at that I sounded like the teenager I was. Finding humor in the moment I chuckled as Jii-chan said 'Oh'.

" Its not like that, she has a millinioum item, or something like one. Bakura says its a little older than the items. Its a bracelet, with really old hieroglyphics on it that I can't read. I feel... I think I feel connected to her, but I don't know how or why. All I know for sure is that she means something too me and I think maybe Yugi isn't taking it so well... Oh." I stopped speaking as I realized why Yugi was upset to begin with. Does he think that I have feelings for her? Did I once have feelings? No that didn't seem right, and regardless now he was mad because I am an idiot. How could I even think something so cruel when Yugi obviously feels neglected.

" How interesting and this new girl, she must be making you long for your memories. I would wager that you're feeling more alone than ever now. Surrounded by not just two but now three people who we believe are from your past yet you still can't remember. Perhaps if I could see this bracelet then maybe I could decipher the glyphs on it and that would provide you with some answers." That was a great idea, but how would he be able to see the bracelet from Egypt? Just as I was pondering this he answered my question.

" Just use Yugi's phone and take a picture then send it to me via email." I pulled the phone back and stared at it, this device took pictures? Technology surprised me more and more everyday.

" If you can't figure it out just ask Yugi, or Jou I'm sure would be glad to help out a friend." I smiled, glad to have stopped to talk to Jii-Chan this morning.

" Thank you Jii-Chan, I will do that right away." He chuckled once more and said his goodbye asking for me to tell Yugi he was sorry he missed him and he would call back tonight. I hung up the phone and placed it back in my pocket just in time to grab my bag and walk to school. I skipped breakfast, but I wasn't really hungry anyways. Now I had purpose, something that could help me figure out the mystery of Kyrri once and for all.

I waited for Yugi to come out, but as I approached the front court yard of the school he still hadn't made so much as a sound. I sighed and frowned continuing on until I leaned against the large Oak tree to the left of the double doors that lead inside. The usual meet spot before class. Suddenly I saw a tall shadow come over me. Startled I looked up and was met with cobalt eyes.

" Kaiba what brings you here?" I asked suspiciously. He glanced around looking unsure, that was when I noticed how terrible he looked. His eyes were rimmed red, and his cheeks were flushed. If I didn't know better I would have guess that he had just spent the morning crying, but it was more likely that he was sleep deprived, or possibly even hung over. He shifted uncomfortably, but said nothing, finally he did the strangest thing and sat down next to me under the old tree. I watched him warily for a moment but all he did was sigh and lean his head back. Something was different about Kaiba today.

After a while he opened his eyes, looking much clearer now than before and turned his gaze upon me. His eyes were so different, so open and clear. It was strange, almost like I was looking at a whole different person.

" Pharaoh, I... could we talk somewhere more private?" he asked quietly. I could feel my eyes widen in obvious shock. Had he just called me Pharaoh? Was this the same Kaiba that claimed everything I had ever said to him was hokus pokus bullshit? I nodded my head and stood quickly, as much as I wanted to speak to Kyrri today and take the picture for Jii-Chan somehow I could sense that this was much more important.

I followed him to his limo. Just as I was getting into the door I saw Jou and Kyrri walking up to the school. Kyrri was looking dejectedly at the pavement, so she didn't notice me but Jou looked a me startled as he mouthed " What the hell?" I shook my head because honestly I had no idea what this was all about. He quickly turned Kyrri towards the school as Bakura walked around the building effectively distracting her before she could notice me with her new boss.

" So he is good for something after all then." Kaiba muttered as he watched closely at the scene before us. I looked at him, as his gaze lingered on Kyrri. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, I had never seen such a look on the cold CEO's features before.

" What is this all about Kaiba?" I asked as he limo began to drive away. He sank into the leather seat he sat in across from me and sighed.

" It's actually a very long story old friend." he said capturing my attention, he had never called me a friend before. Something was defiantly wrong with Kaiba.

Kyrri's POV

" Hey Kye-chan lets go wait for the guys inside, it looks like it might rain today." Jou said as he tugged my elbow turning me to towards the building.

" When it rains it pours." was my not so smart reply. This earned me a look from Jou but he didn't say anything. I wasn't trying to be a downer, but I had a bad night, I was awake for hours listening to the silent house just waiting for father to come home. Finally around four AM I had managed to drift to an uneasy sleep filled with nightmares and dreams I couldn't remember. When my alarm went off I jumped up and unplugged it, for some reason so nervous that I didn't even want it on. It had taken me about an hour to find everything I needed for school and work afterwards with the shape my room as left in the night before.

I had eventually dressed in a dark blue long sleeved shirt under my uniform and dark blue leggings underneath my skirt. For work later I had a black skirt that went just above the knee and a black cardigan to go over my shirt. I had pulled my hair up into a neat pony and used clips to hold my bangs from my eyes. I even had a little time before I needed to leave for school to look for the box that was under my bed, and found sweet relieve from my anxiety.

Just as I was sadly remembering my morning Ryou's face popped into my vision. He looked very serious as he glared at Jou, apparently I had missed part of the conversation lost in my depressing thoughts.

" This will only take a minute Jonoichi, if you don't mind?" he asked looking at me for permission even as he gently grabbed my wrist and began to tug me around the corner and behind the school. There he watched me until I came into full awareness as to what was going on around me.

" Whats going on Ryou?" I asked as he grabbed my wrist. Suddenly I began to panic, remembering yesterday. I tried to tug my arm away from him but only ended up hurting myself in the process.

" Please Ryou, please don't." I pleaded as he tugged my sleeve up against my will. I felt my tears run down my face hot in comparison to the chill morning air. He sucked in a breath as he starred at me marred wrist but he said nothing. I stopped struggling, there as no use anyways because now he knew just how worthless I was.

" Please don't tell the others." I begged through my sobs, I was shaking so bad. No one had ever gotten close enough to me before to see me scars, my slashes and bruises. No one had cared enough before, I didn't want anyone else to know.

" I wasn't planning on it." Was all he said as he lowered my arm gently and raised his eyes to meet my own, in that moment I saw my own sadness mirrored back at me. He was a puzzle this Ryou, one moment he was angry and hostile and the next he was warm and sincere.

" Then why...?" I trailed of as I watched him watch me. He smiled a real smile, one of the few I had seen from him so far as he reached an arm around my shoulder and gave me a comforting half hug.

" I guess I just wanted you to know that you're not alone anymore. We are all... I am here for you." he said as he continued to hug me. Then I just cried, I couldn't help it after the night I had. I cried because my life was so fucked up and there was nothing I could do to change that.

He held me until I was done and then let me wipe my eyes before he lead me back to an impatient Jou who was looking like he was just about to come and find us. When I saw him I smiled brightly for the first time this morning which seemed to calm him down.

" 'Bout time you two got here, the bell is about to ring for class to start." he said as he smiled back at me. I apologized, only for him to laugh it off and tell me to forget about it.

" Where is Yugi? Isn't he usually here already?" I asked as I glanced at the tree where we had met everyday so far. Jou shrugged and looked at the road before he began to walk to the building.

" I think he said something about being late today, he had an important meeting to attend to. I guess that's what happens when you're the King o' Games huh?" he laughed as the bell rang and we all ran towards our classes.


	7. Chapter 7

Kry: So this was Chapter Seven, I really hope everyone liked it, an actual update and not just me tweaking with the story and size of the chapters must be nice. So there will be a lot of changes in this Chapter, and I hope everyone reading realizes that I'm really trying to capture how each individual is dealing with these changes. There will defiantly be some Seto development.

I am still looking for a Beta if anyone is interested.

Oh and I don't Own YuGiOh in any way shape or form just so everyone knows that.

It was the middle of lunch before Yugi made his appearance back at school. Jou, Ryou and I had already gotten our food and were halfway through eating when he ran to the table looking really distant and out of breath.

" There you are Yug, what took ya so long bud?" Jou asked around a mouthful of nachos, I made a face at his table manners but laughed a little anyways. Yugi just shrugged his shoulders and looked at his hands. He seemed to be lost in very deep thoughts, I watched him as he raised his head and opened his mouth to talk only to close his mouth and drop his head again several times. Jou watched him too, looking worried but didn't say anything.

" Kyrri can I take a picture of your bracelet to send to my Jii-Chan? He is an Egyptologyst and an archeologist so he might have more information about it that we do." I thought about it, his request was simple enough and I was interested in his grandfathers profession seeing as my mother had herself been an archeologist. So I passed my wrist out careful to only pull my sleeve up just enough to see the bracelet as he struggled with the camera on his phone. I raised an eyebrow as Jou took the phone snaped the picture and handed it back to Yugi instructing him how to send the picture in a message, for the king of games he sure was technology inept.

" What did Kaiba want this morning?" Ryou asked as he began to pick food off of my lunch tray again. I looked back and forth between Ryou and Yugi surprised and waited for Yugi to answer his question. After a moment Yugi shrugged and leaned elbow on the table resting his head on his hand.

" What else would he want but another rematch." he said casually while looking bored. I smiled as Jou laughed with food in his mouth making Ryou gag on the nacho he had taken off of my plate. Seeing his disgusted face I started to laugh loudly, Jou laughed harder and Yugi and Ryou cracked smiles of their own.

Once we all calmed down and began eating again everyone settled into a comfortable silence. It seemed like everyone had something on their minds today and I wasn't let out of that. I sat quietly thinking as I nibbled on my lunch. The more I sat there thinking the less I wanted to eat and eventually ended up pushing my food to Ryou. He eyed me skeptically.

" I'm just not really that hungry today." I said as I sulked in my own little world. It seemed without the mindless chatter chatter of my new friends that my mind would drift to dangerous thoughts and I lost my cheerful demaener.

Determined to distract myself I raised my eyes up to Yugi who sat across from me next to Jou. He was still lost in his thoughts as well with a very concentrated look on his face. His eyes were narrowed and his four-head scrunched up as he thought. No one seemed to be paying him any mind as he mulled over his thoughts, perhaps he needed a distraction as well.

" Are you not hungry either Yugi? I'm sure you and Ryou could share my nacho's I you wanted." I said smiling at him, he looked up at me surprised; eyes wide.

" Like hell I would share with him!" Ryou yelled glaring toward our friend. I gave him a look but didn't say anything because Yugi just kept staring at me. I smiled back for a moment, until I started to become uncomfortable. He looked me right in the eyes like he had never really looked at me and was seeing me for the first time. I hated being stared at like that, like someone could see under my mask and into my soul. I wanted to drop my gaze and look away but I found I couldn't. Right now Yugi held this authority in his eyes, so I just sat there gazing into his crimson orbs. Somehow I felt like I had done this before, why were his eyes so familiar to me?

Finally I was able to tear my gaze away and to my hands clasped on the tables top. I could feel my heart beating too fast, and my palms were sweaty. Why was I so afraid all of the sudden? I sat for the rest of lunch in silence unable to make eye contact with anyone else. Everyone tried to talk around me but eventually it seemed like they all gave up and quietly finished their lunch as well. Soon the bell rang relieving me from my thoughts. Instead of waiting to say goodbye to anyone or taking my tray to the trash. I could hear Jou behind me call my name, but I continued to run. that's all I was good at after all, was running away.

I stopped at my locker and grabbed my books and headed straight to Zoology. Today we were watching a documentary called Love: the human language, it talked about the science of love and the chemicals that make humans grow attachments and bonds. I tried to pay attention but I just kept telling myself that it was pointless, no one would ever love me anyways. The movie made me sad, so eventually I just turned my gaze outside the large window and watched the breeze roll through the leaves of the cherry blossom tree's.

Soon enough my torture was ended as the bell rang. I jumped in my seat and grabbed my unused textbook but walked slowly to my history class. I was getting more and more nervous as each class passed. Soon school would be over and then I would go to work. That would provide a good distraction but all too soon that would end too and I would have to go home. There I would find nothing but pain, either from being terrified that my father come home or finding that he was indeed home already. All I wanted to do was run away and hide, only one more year and I would be graduating and then I could leave forever. If only Japaneses schools didn't run all year round.

I realized suddenly that I was already in history and it was halfway through class. I had no I idea what the teacher was lecturing on and hadn't even opened my textbook. I had been so lost in my thoughts that I just ran on auto-pilot. I shook my head and tried to focus the last half of the class even taking notes about ancient warships and weaponry, it was a topic that actually help no interest to me but I was nothing if not the diligent student when I wasn't sulking in my own world.

The bell rang and I walked even slower this time. I just didn't want the day to be passing as quickly as it was. When a hand grabbed my wrist and spun me around I was ready to yell but stopped when I saw that it was Ryou, his expression serious.

" Are you okay?" he asked, like always sounding like it was a struggle for him to be sociable like he was trying to be. I nodded and tried to smile but it must not have reached my eyes because he frowned and turned around dragging me slowly behind him as he headed down the hall. He hung a right and brought me into a slightly less crowded hallway. We continued down to the end of the hall where a door with a 'DO NOT ENTER' sign clearly printed across.

I eyed him skeptically and jerked my hand out of his grasp making my wrist hurt. He turned as I stood rubbing my wrist tenderly, this in turn made him eye me skeptically but he kept his comments to himself as he pushed the door open.

" I don't think we should be here." I said nervously as he began walking up a darkened flight of stairs that was behind the door. Ryou turned to me with a mischievous grin and laughed. It was nice to hear him laugh, he was always so serious and gloomy.

" Rules are made to be broken." was his reply and so I followed him up the stairs, maybe time would pass slower if I had someone to talk to instead of listening to a teacher go on and on about comma placement and other grammar things. Once we reached the top of the stairs and opened one more door I realized we were going to the roof. I shielded my face from the brightness of the afternoon sun until I could see. Then we walked to the center and sat down, I didn't talk and neither did he, but even though I just wanted to talk minutes ago suddenly I realized that it was just as comfortable to just sit with Ryou.

" Can I see?" I cracked my eyes open at him as I had closed them soaking up the sun on my skin. He was staring at my arms and this made me tense up. Even if I had shown him this morning it was still terrifying to be so open with another person. After a few minutes of chewing my lip I finally raised my arm out to him and let him gently role up my sleeve, he sucked in a breath just like he had before. I looked away, I didn't want to see my fuck ups but when he started to run one finger over each cut and scar I flinched. No one had ever purposely touched me in a way that wasn't painful, there was nothing romantic about his touch. It just wasn't what I was used to.

" These are old right?" he asked and I nodded not needing to look to know, it didn't hurt when he touched these. Then his hands drifted over newer one's some even from last night when I had woken up in the middle of the night from a nightmare.

" And there are fresh..." he almost whispered. This time I looked up at him, the look on his face as he stared at my imperfections had me pause. There was just something about that sad look that struck a chord in me. Everything inside me was screaming at me that I was missing something, forgetting something but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't place what was causing me to feel this way around Ryou and Yugi.

" What are you thinking?" I dared to question in a voice so small I wasn't sure he had heard me at all until he looked up and into my eyes. He seemed to take a while to collect his thoughts before he took a long breath and brushed his bangs off of his face.

" That finding you like this is the last thing I wanted." My eyes widened and I frowned, what did he mean by that? I wasn't sure if I should be offended or not but he just looked so torn up inside that I didn't have the heart to say anything.

" Once a long time ago, there was a boy who watched not only his whole family but his entire village be slaughtered. The boy hid under a clay pot with a little crack in it and watched his friends and neighbors fall before his feet in pools of their own blood. He took that pain and he swallowed it, let it fester and bubble in his heart until it consumed him, but through every horrible deed he committed there was always a light in his life. The boy had befriended a Princess, and she was like the sun, everything she shined on became beautiful; the boy especially. She was his best friend. But life was hard on him and the darkness in his heart grew had an agenda all its own. At the end of his life he stood against his Princess. She had her family and her empire behind her and he had all the forces of darkness. He destroyed her, though he had never meant to... and she forgave him still. That still small part of him that the light still soaked into departed from the darkness then and sacrificed everything to save her in the only way he could. Though they bother died their souls were allowed to carry on..." I began listening to his story with much interest, I had never heard him speak so much at once. But as his words created a picture in my mind I found it harder to hear what he said. My head started to pound, and feel like it was being split open, I slowly raised my hands to hold my aching head, little did I notice that my bracelet was starting to vibrate and grow warm. It wasn't until Ryou snatched it from me that I could smell the searing flesh of my wrist. I jumped up, the pain in my head ten times worse and grabbed my wrist to my chest. I stumbled around dizzy and confused until I reached the railing at the edge of the roof. I felt like I was going to be sick, I leaned over the rails to vomit when everything started to fade away...

Yami's POV

I sat impatiently in Yugi's last hour class ignoring the teachers babbling. Math was never really my thing and even with Yugi's knowledge I still wasn't good at it. So I sat there fidgeting, something just didn't feel right. I had given up on trying to get Yugi to talk to me, he was locked in his should room completely shut off from the world outside of the puzzle and had blocked his mind from me. I wished that he was here so that I could apologize to him for the cruel thing I said to him this morning.

The ball of nerves in my stomach grew tighter and tighter. I kept shifting around uneasily, tapping my fingers on the table of tapping my foot gaining the looks from my fellow students from time to time.

" Mr. Mouto is there somewhere else you would rather be?" asked the teacher as she looked down at me through her little smudgy glasses with one hand on her hip and the other still holding a piece of chalk to the board.

" I.. uh.." was my brilliant response, just then I felt the definite shift of shadow magic. It was like a brick wall that hit me in the face. I stood knocking all my books to the floor and looked in the direction.

" Mouto!" cried my teacher as I grabbed my books up in one swift move and ran out of the room. I could hear her yell detention behind me but I could hardly care. Something did not feel right and I needed to get to the bottom of it quickly. I followed the familiar tug of magic until I reached the staircase to the roof. Swinging the door open I took the stairs two at a time. I jerked the back door open and blinked as the sun hit my eyes.

As soon as I could see I was horrified at what I saw. Kyrri wobbled over to the edge of the roof with Bakura hot on her tail. She was gripping her head and looked like she was pale as a sheet, then so quickly I barely had time to react she crumpled forward. Bakura reached her first and swung himself over the edge to grab her. He was hanging on his midsection.

" Pharaoh help." he shouted without having to look at me. I wasted no time in running forward to grab his waist. I managed to stop them from falling further, but couldn't seem to pull them back up over the railing. I grunted and pulled harder, gaining only an inch in leeway. Somewhere in the distance I could hear the bell ring to let out the last class.

" PULL HARDER DAMN IT." He screamed as I felt him begin to slip. " I can't hold her much longer..." He spoke quieter, in concentration. I could see sweat drip from his brow onto her stomach, with her shirt pushed up I could see the remnants of bruises littering the lightly tanned skin of her belly. The Yellow and Brown imperfections made me sick, these were old where had they come from?

It was then I heard the first scream from the students bellow leaving to go their respective homes. A girl, a freshmen I think pointed upward and everyone's gazes followed. Students gathered in a large circle. Some looking terrified and others surprised, I was enraged to see some even thought it was funny and laughed at her misfortune.

" Yami please I'm going to drop her." He pleaded, using my given name for the first time, I had never seen him beg, never even heard him say please before. I turned my gaze to The Thief and focused, pulling with all my might. The look in his eyes was crazy and afraid. I felt tears slip though my eyes, I couldn't do this for much longer, the strain on Yugi's petite body was too much.

"YOU DROP MY SISTER AND I WILL KILL YOU" I screamed.

"You won't have too..." He whispered as he tried to get his other hand around her ankle. It was then that I felt Yugi's familiar presence as he wrapped his spiritual arms around me and pulled himself. He couldn't physically pull her, but his support was powerful and his faith in me gave me the strength to pull Bakura up until his feet touched the floor of the roof. I kept my grip and tried to help him pull her up.

"NOOOO!" He screamed and tried to lunge forward again. It was only my hold on his waist that kept him from following as her shoe slipped off and he lost his grip on her ankle.

"Kyrri!" I cried out as I quickly let go of the Tomb Robber and grabbed the rails to watch her her plummet to the pavement bellow...

Seto's P.O.V.

I sat in against the leather seat in the back of my limo typing furiously away on my silver laptop. I tried to stay focused as best I could but kept finding myself looking st the double doors to the place I hated the most. Domino High, a chapter in my life I was glad was over. I recalled earlier that day when I had ventured to this place.

_I walked onto the campus of the school slowly, remembering walking the same path many times before. But had I ever actually looked? Sure I had noticed the large oak tree jut off to the side of the front doors. But I had never sat under it before, never even touched the bark of the trunk. _

_This is where I found Yugi, or as I noticed actually Atem. The Pharaoh, my former best friend and my rival. He leaned against the tree looking sullen and stressed. I watched for a minute as I paused a few steps in front of him. He was concentrated on his thoughts so I shifted to make my presence known. He looked up, his Crimson eyes surprised and looking remarkably like his sisters. _

" _Kaiba what brings you here?" He asked tilting his head to the side and narrowing his eyes at me. I looked away unable to look into his eyes when it made me think of her like this. It was just too painful and I had my fair share of painful in my life. _

_I slowly sat down next to him against the tree, wanting to just take in the moment. I couldn't even remember the last time I sat on the grass, certainly not in one of my designer suits. I sighed and closed my eyes, it was strange, crazy even to feel so comfortable just sitting next to someone whom I had hated days before... Hated. Had I ever really hated him? Sure I didn't always like him, I wanted to beat him. To become better than him, because I envied him, it wasn't even about duel monsters, well is was mostly not about duel monsters. I envied the life he had, because he was surrounded by friends, was able to love and be loved in return. But how could I envy him, he lived half his life trapped in a puzzle and the other have living in the body of his best friend. What kind of a life was that?_

_I frowned, never being one to like thinking about such emotional things. It made me feel uncomfortable, and it was hard to really wrap my head around things. Two complete lives where I grew in different ways and different feelings. One life I was was loved, and kind and praised, and the next I was beaten and hated and used. The only qualities that stayed the same was that I was perseverance and intelligent and loyal._

_I had spent a long part of my life, of this life hating myself and feeling unworthy of my bothers love. I had been looked down on even as I rose above and beyond what was expected of me at the young age of 15 and tool over Kaiba Corp. But people were afraid of me, afraid to get close to me, and over time I began to tell myself I didn't want anyone's friendship or their pity. _

_After a while I opened my eyes, and turned to face him, my thoughts were clearer and I was sure now in my resolve to tell him what I remembered. He deserved to know and I felt like it my duty as his friend to tell him. His friend, yes I was sure of that and with so many new emotions flowing freely though me for the first time in years I was finding myself almost childishly eager to share this with him. Just to have someone to talk to. I had never wanted to talk to anyone, other than Mokaba._

" _Pharaoh, I... could we talk somewhere more private?" I asked, not surprised to find that he was intently watching me. His eyes widened once more completely shocked that I refereed to him with such respect. He simply nodded bobbing his head up and down several times. I smirked lightly and stood up._

_He followed me to my limo. Just as I was getting into the door I saw Jou and Kyrri walking up to the school. Kyrri was looking dejectedly at the pavement, so she didn't notice us but Jou looked a Atem startled as he mouthed " What the hell?" I couldn't force myself to glare at him but focused to keep it neutral. He quickly turned Kyrri towards the school as the bastard Thief walked around the building effectively distracting Kyrri before she could notice me and her brother getting into my limo. _

_I glared as she smiled at him, it didn't fully reach her eyes but I didn't even want her around him. He was evil, he was the reason that she had died, that the Pharaoh had died and I had remained alive, to become Atem successor and take over ruling Egypt. The only person left alive who even remembered the rightful king and the beloved princess. I wanted to see him dead, his blood on my hands._

" _So he is good for something after all then." I muttered as I watched closely at the scene before us. My tension put him on guard again and I forced myself to look away leaving her protection in Jonoichi's care._

" _What is this all about Kaiba?" He asked as my driver began to drive the car down the street, I took a deep breath to center myself and looked at him before I spoke._

" _It's actually a very long story old friend." The tone of my voice and my sudden shift in my mood made hi suck in a sharp intake of breath. _

" _What..What did you say?" He stuttered, looking every bit of the 17 year old boy he was under the 5000 years. Sometimes it was hard to remember that not only was he still technically a child but that I myself was only a young adult. Just barely not a baby, a far cry from the adult I was every day. _

" _Atem, your name is Atem and you were not only my ruler but my best friend many many years ago." if I thought his eyes could get any wider I didn't realize they would be this wide. He just stared at me, looking like he was trying t put the pieces together but he sighed and deflated viably as he frowned._

" _You say that, but even still I don't remember anything at all." I frowned along with him, I had hoped it would be as easy as to say his name and he would remember. I thought for a minute, not liking the disappointed look on his face._

" _Do you remember the day we met?" I asked deciding to pick something easy to begin with. He concentrated and then shook his head sadly._

" _It's like there is this block, every time I try I hit a brick wall... How do you even remember? I though this was all 'make believe' to you?" he said as he began to get defensive. I sighed._

" _It was her, she made me remember. It was no piece of cake either, I spent the last couple of days in a kind of denial over it all. The pressure of having two fully lived lives squeezed into my head was hard to deal with." I admitted honestly, no reason to keep things from him now._

" _Who?" he asked as he stared at his hands in his lap. I bit my lip, this was the part I wasn't really ready to talk about, but what other option did I have?_

" _Kyrri." was all I could mumble though I had intended to say more. This still caused him to watch me intently, as I began to fidget._

" _I knew she had something to do with my past. But I hadn't figured it out, she has this bracelet that is obviously Egyptian but not an Item...and every time I look at her I feel like I'm missing something. But I can't ask her, she is so caught up in her own life that she doesn't even notice anything else." this made me angry, she had been here what five days at most and he wanted her to just remember everything immediately? Like I had, like I was wanting him to do. I deflated a little and took another deep breath. This was harder than I thought it was going to be._

" _Atem..." I started only to have him glare at me._

" _Don't call me that, its no longer my name. My name is Yami now." he said looking sad again, boy was he a roller coaster of emotions right now but I wasn't really in a position to talk. So I just nodded, taking note in my head that it probably had something to do with Yugi giving him the name._

" _I didn't want to have to do this..." I muttered mostly to myself. I raised my hand and tried to focus my energy. I didn't have a lot to start with in this life, and my constant denial of all things magic and everything that concerned my past. Why had I tried to run from all this, yea it was well... weird. But it was "_me_" it had always been a part of me, accepting that now made me feel lighter somehow. _

_Taking a deep breath I steadied myself. Atem... No Yami raised his eyes to mine, he looked sad and disappointed in himself. He looked like he wanted with all his might to just remember something, anything. I nodded to myself and tried to harness the energy I could feel in myself. It was small at first. Buried under years of self loathing and pain. It grew quickly though and I could feel myself beginning to loose control. Yami's eyes widened in fear and he inched back a bit. _

_I couldn't stop it. I couldn't harness it. I couldn't control the power rushing though me. I yelled out as I felt white hot lightning pain shoot through my arm and pass directly into Yami. He gasped and grabbed his head and screamed. My driver hit the breaks and I flew into the floor. _

_I don't really know what happened next, partly because I was face first on the floor but mostly because I was cringing in pain and cradling my wounded arm like a baby. _

" _Seth." he didn't really ask but slowly stated it. I rose my head, his eyes were a little more ruby colored. I was startled at his obvious difference with Yugi now. But he look just as I had remembered him when I was his priest. I fought the urge to bow my head in respect, years of rivalry stopped that I saw him more my equal now than I ever had. _

" _Did you just mind crush me?" He asked his voice deep and confused. I shook my head 'no'. _

" _I had meant to... but I don't think that's what happened." I admitted my voice shaking, I looked at my hands and realized my whole body was trembling. I felt afraid, for the first time in years. I actually felt like a child, stupid. _

" _Seto?" he asked coming closer, I took notice that he was calling my by my first name but it didn't bother me. I mean how could it, did I really have anyone else to talk to? Anyone who could understand even one tenth of how I was feeling right now. How I was handling all everything that was happening around me, everything was changing. I hate change, but to have Kyrri back in my life, or to be friends with Yami wasn't really change was it? It seemed natural so I just shrugged it off and tried to calm my shaking hands._

" _I... I couldn't control it... Yami how can I not control it... I could have killed you." His eyes softened as I spoke. And he took a step closer. _

" _Well it has been a long time." He tried to lighten my mood but I clamped my hands into tight fists. _

" _No, it wasn't that. I.. I don't think I can do that again." It was against my morals to back down from a challenge. But it I never had to feel this again I would be fine. I straightened myself and sat back down on the seat. He shifted over with a big smile on his face. Even if I was startled at loosing control I was happy to have brought him some ease._

I had yelled at my driver after that and convinced him he was an idiot. So at least if some things were changing others were staying the same. I could take comfort in being a jack ass. We at after that at some cheep and disgusting fast food chain and swapped memories and story's from out past life. It was strange, but I felt like I was finally letting go of some kind of fear that there was nothing in the world. Obviously there was something, and even if not for the first time this was enough.

I dropped him off at school in the middle of lunch and was on my way to Kaiba corp to get some work done when Mokaba called. He demanded I take him to Domino high because he impulsively made an appointment with the principal about his high scores on his entrance exams and hie early enrollment. I had swallowed the lump in my throat and picked him up. When we got to the school he jumped out without waiting for me, after not really talking to me much in the car. He looked like he had a lot on his mind, so I just left him to it myself having much to think about.

So here I sat waiting for Mokaba to get out of the school so I could hear his news on weather or not he was going to be a high school student at the age of thirteen. I gave up on typing and closed my lap top, too much on my mind to be able to focus. I shifted from thinking about Mokaba, to thinking about earlier today and thinking of Kyrri and how I could get her to remember without using shadow magic like I had before. I rubbed my arm self consciously as it stung.

I heard a girl scream and looked out the window curious. All the students that should be leaving school and going home were gathered around the front of the building. I saw a couple of kids point up to the roof, when my eyes reached what they were pointing at I pushed my laptop to the floor of of my limo and jumped out of the car.

Kyrri was hanging from the roof being held by the tomb robber who was being held by Yami. I felt my body tense as I pushed my long legs to go as fast as they could. I pushed my way through the crowd knocking several people down as I saw her slip from the bastards grip. Her shoe following her tumble towards the pavement.

I had about two seconds, once I plowed my way through the idiots to put myself directly below her. I knew I couldn't catch her from three story's up but I could at least cushion her fall. She collided with my shoulder and I threw my arms around her. I skidded over the sidewalk leaving a burning sensation on my skin. I watched as her head slammed onto the ground leaving a gash on her four-head.

" Seto!" I heard Yami scream and wasn't surprised when I looked up and he was gone, surely coming down here to see if his sister was okay. I tried to sit up and yelled out as I felt a burning pain shoot through my rib cage. I gritted my teeth and forced myself to sit up and bring her head into my lap.

I heard the whispers then, as people started to realize what just happened. Then the strangest thing happened. Someone started to clap, and then others followed. People were cheering for me, for what I had done. I felt a swell of pride when I realized that I had done something good, something right for the first time in so long. I couldn't help the smile that formed but I coughed to hide it and grimaced when I hurt my rib cage.

" Kaiba! Where did you... I mean how did you... I called 911." The Mutt was beside me quickly. Looking at Kyrri with wide terrified eyes. I noticed he had shed tears already, and noted that if he cared about her enough to cry he couldn't be all that bad. He was still a mutt though I finally decided. But at least he called an ambulance.

Kyrri had blood gushing out of the gash on her head but that seemed to be the worst of her injuries, though I came out of this worse than her I couldn't be happier. I accomplished what I was trying to do by protecting her even if it felt weird to protect anyone besides Mokaba.

" Oh Ra Seto thank you for saving her." Yami said as he dropped down next to us. I noted that the Thief was behind him giving him and incredulous look at his casual use of my name. I found it funny that it still didn't bother me.

" I didn't do it for you." was my response, to some it may have sounded cold but he noted the softness of my tone and how I brushed her hair from the blood on her face.

" Seto! What the hell happened here?" Mokaba shouted as he nearly pushed Yami aside and grabbed my shoulder. I winced, hurt there too and he let go.

" I saved her." I said sounding proud to even myself, he looked at me like I was crazy unable to say anything for a moment, he balled and uncalled his fists and looked around with his mouth open and his eyes wide before he turned back to me and closed his mouth.

" But why?" he questioned as he dropped down to his knees and gave Kyrri a once over to see if she was okay. I struggled to come up with an answer that didn't reveal too much but that kept me from having to lie to him.

" I couldn't just let her die." I finally stuttered he just smiled at me, like I had said the right thing and patted my back earning another wince from me.

" Just what is going on here? Mr. Kaiba what are you... Oh my Is this young woman Okay? What happened?" the Principal pushed students aside as the Mutt explained what he saw, Yami was pulled away as was Bakura as the principal yelled and asked questions. He pretty much ignored me and Kyrri while he got the details. Then he keeled and started to check Kyrri's injuries. I heard the ambulance and too soon she was taken from me as I was forced onto a stretcher and into another ambulance.

Once I allowed myself to lean back against the plastic cushion of the stretcher even though my back was burning from the cuts and scratches on it I began to relax, and the adrenaline gave out leaving me in excruciating pain. I was sure they gave me something because everything got fuzzy and it was hard to focus. I closed my eyes and blackness over came me.

Kry: Oh my gosh I'm so happy to have finally finished this! Like you have no idea... I wrote it three times and every time I would get to the last scene something would happen... aka my computer would update and for some reason when it was doing that I was loosing progress... Damn you windows 8... anyways I hoped everyone liked it and it happy as I am that it is out now. I am going to begin work on the 8th chapter well, not tonight but probably tomorrow afternoon.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Kry: alright guys here it is, I am do sorry for the long wait right after my computer died in me I lost my internet but it's back on and even though it don't have a new computer I found a pretty wonderful app that let's me write on my phone. Which I will have you know is tedious ass all he'll and hurts my thumbs but anyways here it is guys! Please read and review

Jou's POV

As soon as the ambulances pulled around the corner Mokuba jumped to his feet and grabbed Yami's collar. They were the same hight still even after Yugi had finally gone through a growth spurt his body was just naturally short and lucky Mokuba with those damn Kaiba genes was naturally tall.

" You have some explaining to do!" He sneered at Yami without letting go of his shirt. Yami shifted and gently tugged Mokuba's hand away. He sighed and ran one hand through his multicolored locks.

" I will tell you whatever you want to know but can it be on the way to the hospital?" Asked the spirit as he began walking without waiting for a reply. So the three of us Mokuba Bakura and I began walking as Mokuba pulled out his cell and called who I assume was the limo driver and barked out orders to pick us up.

" who the hell is that girl? What was she doing on the roof? Why did Seto risk his life to catch her? And what the hell is Bakura doing in charge of Ryou's body and no one is trying to stop him from taking over the world!?" The teen suddenly exploded with question, many of which I wanted to know as well.

" Mind your own business kid. Ryou and I have an agreement and I am here to stay until my business is settled." Bakura growled from behind us balling his fists in anger. It was then I noticed the fear in his eyes, the anxiety he was obviously trying to conceal. He had been the one risking his own life as he dangled dangerously over the edge of the roof. He had also spent an unusual amount of time with Kyrri and the rest of us without causing any problems. What was his angle, what was he trying to accomplish.

" Have you truly let go of the darkness Thief?" Yami asked narrowing his eyes as he turned to watch Bakura. Said tomb robber hid his face behind his thick alabaster hair.

" I have. But it hasn't let go of me." I wasn't sure I heard him, his voice was so quiet. I wasn't sure if he could be trusted but before anyone else could at anything he turned and ran away. Yami took a step to follow him but stopped as the limo pulled up to the curb beside us.

" What the hell was that about?" Mokuba asked as we climbed I to the limo. Yami took in a deep breath and leaned forward his elbows to his knees and face buried in his hands.

" I don't even know where to start." He moaned into his hands I placed my hand in his shoulder and Mokuba huffed. Man his teenage hormones sure were kicked into gear real hard.

" how about how come everyone seem to know Kyrri but no one wants to talk about it?" I asked for Mokuba since he wasn't mediating very well.

" She is the reincarnation of my twin sister." He spoke calmly and raised his head up with his all business poker face. Shocked I opened my mouth to ask him how long he's known but Mokuba spoke first.

" you have your memories back?" He asked for a moment slipping back into his cheerful happy go lucky self. Yami nodded but didn't elaborate.

" Since when?" It was my turn to blurt out questions. He frowned and scratched his head.

" this morning." Was his reply causing us both to gape at him. Only just this morning? That means at lunch he knew... No wonder he was so distant.

" How?" Mokuba asked leaning in closer fully absorbed in the issue.

" Seto restored them but crushing my mind hence destroying the barriers that were causing the block." He waited tensely for our reactions, as we both practically jumped from our seats.

" WHAT?!" We both yelled causing the driver of the limo to give us an incredulous look but keep driving.

" Did you say my brother mind crushed you?" Asked the teen in denial as he tugged at his long hair.

"Yes."

"How?"

" to be honest I'm not sure. Kyrri is his intern through a school program. He said that seeing her sparked memories and feelings he could no longer simply deny. He came to campus this morning and tried to get me to remember but ended up having to resort to using his powers that he hasn't even tried to use this lifetime. In the end I regained my lost memories and he swore off of magic again because he couldn't really control it." He waited for us to absorb this information, once more Mokuba was quicker to recover from his shock than I was.

" Okay so let's just say that this is all legit, why would he do anything for you Yami, I mean no offense but you guys are rivals. He hates you! Why would he bother trying to help you let alone try to save your so called sister?" Mokuba asked sounding too much the skeptic his brother usually was. Yami rebuffed from the attack quickly as he straightened his spine obviously growing uncomfortable under our scrutiny.

" Your brother was once my high priest, best friend and my cousin. We talked about many things today and both of us agreed that after everything, basically being the only two people alive who remember what actually happened that our friendship was better now than it ever was. This may be hard for you to cope with, Seto changing so rapidly. But he came to me because he felt like I had a right to remember my life and my death." Yami glared obviously getting angry " and furthermore Kyrri and him were lovers of course he would risk his life for her and I would expect him to do it again too because that's what you do for the people you love!" He shouted his face red as he leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. I forced my face to go back to being neutral as I was extremely shocked. Mokuba couldn't keep his mouth closed but he didn't say a word. I noticed tiny tears shimmer at the rim of his eyes but never fall.

Yami took several deep breaths before he calmed down and his body stopped shaking.

" Mokuba I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you I just... I'm really stressed out. In the last twenty four hours I've regained my memories, realized I had a sister, remembered in vivid detail how she and I died... Rekindled an old friendship got into the biggest fight with Yugi ever because I was being just as much of an ass then as I am now and then tried to rescue Kyrri literally with my worst enemy and watch as she almost died! And on top of all that she still doesn't remember anything at all..." He whispered his apology out and I got the feeling he wasn't just apologizing to is but to Yugi as well. Mokuba smiled and put a hand over one of Yami's.

Yami's POV

It felt like hours passed in what was in all reality only minutes. I paced up and down the small space between the hard plastic chairs of the hospital waiting room. Jou sat next to Mokuba who was chewing his bias down to the roots as he fretted over his brother. For the first time since I met Mokuba I understood his worrieing. We both had siblings in the hospital right now.

I finally say down across from them, and looked at my hands. How could do much possibly happen on such a small amount of time. I was overwhelmed and I felt really alone.

/ Yugi... / I thought as I pulled myself inward into my soul room. Yugi appeared next to me silently with a sad smile on his face. After not being able to talk to him for longer than I would like and knowing I owed him a real apology I bowed my head down.

/ I'm sorry aibou... I was letting this whole ordeal consume me. I still am, and I've been taking advantage of your generosity too much... This is your body and your life and I don't deserve a thing you have given me.../ I slowly dropped down to my knees knowing there were very few individuals I would bend a knee for.

His arms were around me before I knew he had moved. I felt eery muscle in my whole body loose all tension and felt more at ease than I had in days. I took a deep breath inhaling his familiar scent. I shifted so I could return the hug so happy that he wasn't mad at me anymore.

/ it's okay Yami, I was really upset but I think I knew all along that she wasn't your girl friend. You were just acting so strange and I felt like you were forgetting all about me. I guess you could say I got jealous... I'm the one that's sorry because I haven't been here for you when you needed me... Heck Kaiba has been a better friend to you here recently and that's saying something./ he breathed out his apology ending with a laugh. Always the one to make me smoke when I felt like things were their darkest. How had I not blurted my feeling to him by now? Oh yea because I'm not much more than a body thief right now. How could he love someone he can never touch...

Pushing those dangerous thoughts away I pulled away from him and stood up dusting my knees off even though the act was pointless because there's no dust in my mind.

/ I hope we don't fight anymore I felt like I was having an existential crisis./ I smirked as I leaned my head against hi shoulder, needing the contact. He made a face.

/ How do you even know the work existential?/ he questioned playfully causing me to lightly punch his arm. He cracked a smile and nudged me forward.

/ GO on Yami go wait for need on Kyrri we will have plenty of time to make up later. And don't worry about using my body it's okay you deserve it partner./ I nodded still worrying and age him one last smile as I shifted my consuls ness back into the real world.

Not even ten minutes had passed while I was redo silting my relationship with my aibou. Mokuba had barely moved and Jou was now standing leaning against a wall.

I heard a throat clear behind me and turned to see Bakura standing awkwardly his face still down and unreadable.

" Can I speak with you?" He asked quietly, no trace of his usual venom. I nodded and went to get up when he quickly sat down next to me. He balled his fist up grasping the fabric of his dark blue school pants. For several moments he didn't speak until finally he looked at me.

As our eyes locked it was blatantly apparent that he ha been crying and that he didn't give a crap who knew that right now. I had honesty never seen so much emotion in his features before, well except right before Kyrri died. I still wasn't sure how he knew her but her presence seemed to be affecting him just as much as it was the rest of us. I tried to keep my face neutral while he collected his thoughts.

" I am a danger to everyone." Was what he finally said and what ever I had thought he would say that deniably was it.

" if you vomit to changing your behavior you would t have to be a danger to anyone Bakura." He recoiled away from me slightly as if j was spewing poison.

" you don't understand!" He raised his voice getting a few looks from the nurses behind the counter. I narrowed my eyes but shook my head.

" please enlighten me then tomb robber" I grumbled trying not to loose interest in his rambling a. I know ha so much tolerance whether or not he had tried to save my sister.

" She... And you sacrificed your lives to banish the darkness from the world once and for all, but didn't you stop to think about what it must mean that you and here are still in existence? You we're suppose to be wiped from life itself just like me but you weren't! Didn't you ever wonder why?" He asked shaking slightly. I stopped, he had a valid point. Why were we alive? Well I wasn't exactly alive but I was in existence at least.

" I was watching her die! For my mistakes, it wasn't fair. Just because I made bad choices, I made darkness and I Allies. And I became a tool for the darkness, I didn't realize it until it was far too late what the price of my ignorance would be but I couldn't let her crave to exist. I seep rated myself from the darkness then to sacrifice myself in place of her but I didn't realize that that wasn't how it worked. I can never escape this darkness inside me and it will destroy everything. Until she appeared I didn't even care but now everything is so clear and I know I have to fight this." I watched him through his speech in muted awe. I had never heard Bakura speak so much and it not been some demented rant. I had never seen him regret anything or care about anything. This was completely out of my territory so I chose not to say anything. I just did what I would have for anyone else and placed my hand on his shoulder in silent support. This seemed to speak volumes as he dropped his head I to his hands and let a new round of tears heave through him.

" I'm not going to lie Bakura this is a lot to take in. I mean everything Kaiba, Kyrri, you... But if your serious. If your willing to try and be good then I can promise you that we will stick by you no matter how dark it may seem you don't have to fight this alone." He stiffened under my gentle grasp on his shoulder but otherwise seemed to be calmed by my words. In a few minutes he had straightened his emotions and was back to his normal self except just a little less hard around the edges and neither Jou note Mokuba said anything about his episode.

Seto's POV

Everything hurt as I came back into consciousness. But it was full and hidden under a thick fog. I knew it was cold where ever I was and I knew it smelled very clean but that was about all I could tell without being able to see. And seeing how I couldn't force my eyes open just yet I simple laid there and listened to the noises around me.

" doctor here is the patients chart. He just came out of surgery to place a titanium plate against his tibia where he broke the bone. Also he fractured his fibula. There are several burns and scratches on his back from sliding across the pavement. He also dislocated his left arm but we have replaced it already." I listened in as a shrill voiced nurse spoke to someone as the walked into the room.

" ah yes very good. And what medicines are we administering?" Asked a man I assumed to be the doctor Ecuador he spoke in a commanding voice. He also sounded like he was much older than the nurse or myself.

" morphine sir, and a round of antibiotics to halt any infection before they set it." She said and I felt someone gently pick up my wrist and take my pulse.

" yes very well. He should be waking up soon. Go ahead and tell his family and friends waiting that they can see him now. I need to go check on the girl that came in with him." He said and I forced my eyes open. I was still groggy from the drugs but I forced myself to focus as I reached out and grabbed the doctors arm. He turned eyes wide and looked back at me.

" my my your awake earlier than expected." He said with a chuckle. I sneered at him this was no time to laugh.

" how is she?" I asked voice raspy and weak. He smiled a small smile but turned around to face me completely.

" Miss Rutherford is in the ICU right now. We will be able to give you a more accurate update when we get her stabalized." He spoke softly but it didn't reach his eyes. He began to turn to leave again.

"Wait what's wrong why is she in the ICU? Didn't I take most of the force of the fall from her?" I asked in alarm, I could hear my heart monitor speed up. This caused both the nurse and the doctor to turn back to me and check my vitals again.

" calm down Mr Kaiba, yes you took most of the fall but she still mag aged to crack her skull when she hit the ground and this caused quite a bit of swelling to the brain. We are under the process of getting her stabilized but they need me up there so if you don't mind." He said as he left the room. I felt dread fill me up and tighten my stomach with anxiety. I tried so hard to save her and she is still worse off than myself. What a failure.

" do you want me to go get your friends. They have been waiting for you to wake up." Asked the young nurse iN her annoying voice. I nodded not even looking at her and waited as she left the room.

Several moments passed Before the door opened again and a black blur or Mokuba came flashing into the room and launched himself against me. I grunted in pain as he collided with me but he paid no notice as he buried his head against my sore chest.

" don't ever do anything so stupid and reckless again!" He wailed into my chest. I stiffened and nudged him off of myself so I could look him the eyes.

" I won't make a promise I am not prepared to keep Mokuba." I said as his face twisted up into an emotion I didn't recognize.

" so it's true then? Everything Yami was saying?" He asked as he pulled away from me. I glared at me and I wasn't even sure why he was so angry. I tried to shift myself into a sitting position but found I had to use the bed controlled to raise myself up. This considerably lowered my seriousness, but he stayed angry.

" So he told you then?" I sighed and crossed my one arm since the other one was already in a sling against my chest. " look I was going to tell you Moki..." I spook with my calm and collected voice trying to be honest. He laughed but it was twisted up and sounded more like a bark.

" STOP CALLING ME THAT!" He bellowed shocking everyone in the room he shook his head but I didn't even know what at and started paving as he ran a hand through his hair.

" I'm not a kid anymore, yea I'm only thirteen but with the way I grew up how could I be a normal kid? All because were Kaiba's? I WILL NEVER GET T BE NORMAL and it's all your fault and now I have to deal with this? Screw this, go ahead and play magic and when you're done I'll be dealing with real life!" I lost my neutral mask as he ranted an by the time he left the room I knew my eyes were wide and my mouth was a gape. I stared at the space where he had walked out of the door for a whole minute before I managed to straighten my appearance an look at the others in the room. Yami was looking at me sympathetically and the Mutt was still stating at the door. But I saw no signs of the albino thankfully. I didn't think I could deal with him on top of everything else.

" hey don't worry about him he'll come around. He's just got all those hormones raging through him right now. It's normal for teenagers to act this way." The Mutt defended speaking up for the first time dice they all showed up. I sneered at him.

"I certainly never acted like that." I said an tried to shift myself into a more comfortable possition. I was finding out that it was quite impossible to be comfortable.

" well you weren't normal money bags" he laughed, I narrowed my eyes but let it slide. After all he was here to make sure I was okay and he was pretty nice to Kyrri.

We spent probably the next fourth five minutes having casual conversation which was strange for me and I would later blame it on the drugs but I actually enjoyed myself if only a little bit. Then the door burst back open and the same nurse came rushing in.

" are any of you related to the other girl who came in. Miss Rutherford?"he asked frantically I wanted to say I was her somethig. I don't know fiancée boyfriend or maybe even her cousin but before I got the chance Yami took a step forward.

" I am her brother," he proclaimed, she eyes him skeptically but I suppose they looked enough alike that she shrugged it off.

" I need you to come with me right away. She is in critical condition and I brew a family member to make the all on whether or not we operate to save her life." She said quickly pulling Yami out of the door. I tried to get up and follow but the pain shot through my chest and leg knocking me back down into the stiff mattress . I watched as the door closed and I was left alone with the Mutt.

Alright well there it was guys. A little short I was hopping to hit five thousand words but I almost made ut. Anyways I wouldn't have been able to fit any more j to this chapter without ha I g to literally double the size of the chapter. But let me know hat you think guys


	9. Chapter 9

Kry: well here is chapter nine guys. Okay I know there are a lot of typos in chapter eight. I'm in the middle of editing them now. It turns out my writing app doesn't detect all of them. Usually I'm better about not even having typos but typing on my phone is tedious and hard. I checked and rechecked this chapter though so it should be onay. Let me know what you think. Things are about to set up for my plot.

Bakura's POV

I leaned against the wall outside of the hospital room they had the Priest in And shuffled my feet. I chose not to go in with the others simply because I don't like the asshole. I crossed my arms and closed my eyes, the events of today were bearing down on me hard giving me a head ache. It had been a very long time since I had experienced being stressed out like this.

I could feel the darkness lapping against my back at full force like whips being slashed across my skin in a sickeningly familiar way. My earlier proclamation having angered the beast inside me. I gulped down a shaky breath and reminded myself that I was making the right choice. I forced myself to remember that I had been a good person long ago. I could almost see my self but just a boy standing before me, I could even feel the sand beneath my shoe clad feet. I watched in my minds eye as I ran through the sand under the blazing sun, my only protection from it a blood red cloak that was obviously royal.

I shook my head to clear the image. Kyrri had given the cloak to me maybe a year before that. It would be the last time we spoke before the end. I had seen her after that but she hadn't seen me.

I contemplated all of the horrible things I've done. Never before had I stopped and asked myself why? Or accepted that I was in the wrong. Why did she have to come around and mess my head up, I was comfortable living my life in the delusion that it was okay to be evil. But now for the second time in my existence I wished to rid myself of this wicked darkness the only difference this go round was that I was alive and I had to choose to be good.

/ if I may give you some advice... Bakura maybe you need to stop thinking about this so much and just follow your heart. Don't ask yourself what's right just live each moment. If your about to do something you feel like you will regret then perhaps you shouldn't do it at all.../ Ryou said from beside me. I looked sadly at his ghostly form and a wave of guilt hit me. This was his body, his life and from day one I had just taken what I wanted from him and never once given him anything positive in return. He smiled and placed a forgiving hand on my shoulder. That was what I appreciate about him, words weren't always needed between us. As long as I was willing to pay attention to him he was an open book.

/ thank you Hikari./ I spoke through our bond and his smile faltered and gave way to a shocked look. Before I had time to question his facial expressions he smiled bigger than I had ever seen him smile and wrapped his translucent arms around my own giving me a tight hug. I didn't know how to react, whether I should reciprocate the action or push him away.

/ you have never accepted me as your partner before now. Thank you Kura!/ he said and smiled again I shook my head as a nurse came running past us and into the room that everyone was in with the damaged priest. Ryou faded away as I tried to listen through the door but before I heard much of anything the nurse came running out with the pharaoh in tow. I chased after them worried out of my mind.

" What's going on?" I whispered as I ran along side him. He turned to me and was pale, he looked like he was about to be sick.

" I don't know. They need a family member to make decisions and something about... Surgery." He gulped and then turned to face the nurse. We approached an elevator and the nurse eyed me skeptically.

" I am sorry but family members only." She said and stood in my way of going in to the elevator. I glared at her.

" he is family." The pharaoh defended and she looked between us obviously disbelieving. I raised an eyebrow at him but quickly straightened my features as she fixed her gaze on me Once more.

" you look nothing alike!" She said and waved her arm between us. I frowned, what was he trying to get at I was most certainly not his family. Never had been and never would be. He rolled his eyes.

" He is our cousin. He has a skin condition but we don't like to bring it up..." He lied forcibly sounding awkward. She rebounded and turned to look at me once more.

" Thanks for reminding me I'm a freak." I gave her a sinister grin and think I frightened her into submission.

We climbed into the elevator where she pressed the button for the sixth floor. It was an awkward deathly silent ride. I nodded my thanks to my companion and he returned the gesture curtly mouthing ' Now we are even.' I assume he meant for me trying to help him pull Kyrri back over the railing on the roof.

" Your sister hit her head pretty hard and fractured her skull. Blood is filling her cranial cavity and causing swelling we need to operate to drain the blood and relieve pressure on the brain before it causes permanent damage to her central nervous system. But we need a family members permission since she is unconscious. That is why we needed you up here." The nurse began to fill us in just as the doors opened and another nurse was waiting with a clip board and some paperwork. She thrust it into the pharaoh a hand with a pen and asked him to sign. He did so without question but he quickly scanned over the words and I could see the sheer panic in his eyes. He turned even paler and then looked up at me. Perhaps it was because I was the only one present but he reached a shaking hand out and grabbed my shoulder tightly as he handed over the clip board. He kept looking me directly in the eye and gasped a series of sharp made me question how he had lead a whole country before but I shook my head to clear the negative thoughts. None of that mattered right now.

" I can't do this." He gaged and in maybe half a second he began to fall. I reached out to grab him but before I even pulled him back up I could see that Yugi had taken controle. He smiled as I let him go.

Without explaining any further the young nurse swiftly ran into a door that said employees only. We just stood there for a moment not knowing what to do or say. I looked around and saw that we were once again in a waiting room. Just how many waiting rooms did this hospital need? But at least this one was nicer with more comfortable looking chairs and there was a tv perched on a wall mount in the corner. I took a seat and sighed leaning my head on my hand. Yugi took my lead and sat on seat away from me. He opened his mouth to speak but I glared and shut him down. He meekly turned to watch the tv. I wondered why the pharaoh had switched places with the twerp.

An hour passed and I finally broke my will to not look at the tv. Another hour and I was already bored with the magic box. So I looked at my waiting companion. He was obviously talking to his Darker half, his eyes were glazed over.

I thought about summoning Ryou, just to have someone to talk to but I bit back that desire as I felt the room grow dark and dank. I could feel the darkness seeping around my feet and spiraling up my legs. Any thoughts of Ryou were forgotten as a familiar growl hissed across my ear warm and sticky. I gasped as burning hot tendrils, like black ink wrapped around me. I sat completely still, afraid to alert anyone of my struggle.

The tendrils tightened and continued to wrap me up. One wrapped around my mouth. I looked on in horror as Yugi stared mutely at the television. Perhaps if I had let him start conversation he would be paying me more mind. I was sure that none of the nurses or doctors could see what was happening but I thought that he would at least. If only he would only look back towards me.

I was beginning to feel light headed. The beast was winning. If I lost control here there is no telling what I would do, if I gave myself away to this evil again I would be right back on the path to try and destroy the world. There was a howling laughter cackling so loud in my ear so shrill I thought it would bleed.

'No! I don't want this. I refuse' I screamed in my own head. Ryou appeared next to me in a state of alarm and tried to grasp the dark energy but it just slithered through his hands as if it were mist. I tried to yell at him to get out of here before the dark monster got him too but the beast used that as an opportunity to slither a slimy arm into my mouth. I gaged on the taste of rotting flesh and was reminded of the first time this evil found me. Alone and bitter over the destruction of my village. I spent three miserable days feeling as if the monster was eating me alive until I had emerged stronger and angrier and more vengeful than ever. It had taken me loosing everything to realize that the power had been a curse not a gift. I refused to be a part of this again.

/Bloody hell buggar off! dammit/ Ryou cursed as he pounded his fists against the tentacles that wrapped me up.

Without any warning the battle was over. The arms holding me in place evaporated and I listened as a deep taunting chuckle faded away. Ryou stared at me with wide eyes. I began to gasp for breath catching Yugi's attention.

"Are you okay Bakura?" He asked me innocently. I didn't even think to give him a snarky remark. I just nodded and looked back at Ryou who was gone. I frowned, why would he just leave? This was probably the first time I admitted even to myself that I needed Ryou here with me. Just for support and he had fled.

" I just... I was lost in a ghost Of a memory." I muttered. Yugi just watched me with a sympathetic look and I asked myself what I had ever done to warrant his sympathy.

" Yami is pretty freaked out too. If it makes you feel any better." He said and shifted his possition to face me more I frowned remembering why we were even here.

" Did you love her?" He asked me very bluntly. I gaped at him, how dare he even ask me that? How did he know? How could he have guessed. Did I still love her? Did I even have that right?

" I did. A very long time ago." I admitted feeling defeated. For some reason I just wanted to tell someone about it and he was probably the only person who would listen.

" tell me about her." He prompted easily with a casual smile. I shifted uncomfortably and bit my tongue.

" Well she was my best friend." I said and trailed off. He waited patiently as I collected my thoughts.

" I met her when we were around six years old I think. She was a little older than me maybe. I know she was taller for sure but I was a sick child. I was passed between family members a lot in my first few years because of my exotic complexion. No one wanted a freak like me.. Until my father escaped from the royal dungeons and took me with him as he became the leader of a group of bandits." I sighed not having thought of my father in a very long time. Despite being a thief he had been a good man.

"One day four of his men came back to the camp with a small girl with a sack tied over her head. She was yelling at them and cursing them under the gods. I remember thinking that she was a spit fire. My father started to yell at them. ' take what ever you want but don't take a child!' At least he had his morals." I chuckled and remembered when he pulled the sack off of her head and realized who she was. All thoughts of returning her had faded. This was the princess of the country. She could be sold for a great profit. Yugi cracked a smile as he listened.

" I helped her escape after a few weeks. She was really just too nice. She saw that I was hungry one night and gave me a kiwi that she swiped from some merchants tent before she was abducted. It was an exotic fruit and she made a comparison to my appearance She called me kiwi because I wouldn't tell her my name." Yugi chuckled as he made the connection with the first lunch we all sat together for when she had bought me the soda.

" I would see her from time to time after that. She hated feeling confined in the capital. She would run away frequently. And the closer we got to adulthood the more she would seek out the adventures of being a thief." I looked away from Yugi, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. I really missed her back then. When the never ending summers would be hot and my loneliness would get the best of me I would sneak to the palace and scale the wall to see her.

" one day she had ran away, she never told me why but we were teenagers. And she came looking for me. I still don't know how she found me but I had fallen over the side of a cliff. I was barely hanging on. She found me, heard me screaming. She saved me and when she pulled me over the edge there were tears in her eyes. She yelled at me to never scare her like that again. I think that was when I knew I loved her. But she was a princess and I was a thief. And she ended up with the Ra be damned priest anyways... But that was how I got the ring. She gave it to me with a cloak and told me to be careful. That was the last time I was able to talk to her before... Before..." I stood up and clenched my fists. What was I thinking talking to the likes of him. I couldn't do this, not now. I ran towards the elevator. I needed to escape. Yugi reached out an tried to follow me but I pushed him off. He didn't understand. I just needed to be alone.

Yugi's POV

I watched as Bakura ran out of the ICU wing of the hospital and sighed. Here I thought that I was getting through to him, that maybe he would open up a bit. Well I guess he had opened up, it was strange. If you would have told me that I would be having a conversation with Bakura that didn't involve trying to destroy the world or duel monsters I would have laughed. But so much has happened.

/ I wish that there was some way I could help him./ I spoke to Yami who was materialized beside me. He had passed out earlier but it didn't take him long to come back into consciousness. I suggested that he rest until we found more out about Kyrri. It was crazy to think that she was Yami's twin sister. That suddenly she was here and everyone was going nuts about it. Even Kaiba who always hated the thought of magic and the ancient world was suddenly a complete team player. It was almost too good to be true for us to find such a vital missing piece to this puzzle without also having some price to pay.

/try not to be so negative little one. It doesn't suit you./ Yami said from beside me. I smiled back at him happy to just be in his presence.

/ are you afraid?/ I asked quietly. He wasn't one to talk about his fears an I was worried he would shut down the conversation but he just nodded and began to chew his nails. It was always cute to see him do something so normal, so human when he didn't have a physical form. This made me frown, it was rude for me to berate him for something he couldn't controle. How many nights had I lied awake and wished that he had a physical body to lay beside me. To do other things as well.

/ everything is happening so quickly. Everything is changing, Seto remembering and Bakura trying to be a good guy. Hell Mokuba is enrolling in high school! having my own memories and my sister but not having a life of my own to enjoy these changes with. It's actually pretty depressing. But I guess I'll take what I can get, right now I just want her to be okay./ he looked at his hands that were clenched on his lap and I bit my lip. This was the first time he had openly complained about our situation. Of course I knew he must hate being trapped in the puzzle but we never spoke about it. I felt so guilty that it hurt and I reached out to take his hand.

/ take my place!/ I all but shouted startling him. He looked up at me confused and his brow crinkled up in the adorable way that it did when he did not understand something.

/ I mean let's trade places Yami. Let's trade places perminatly./ I whispered afraid of his response he jerked his hand away and stood up appalled.

/ no Yugi never. This is your life, your body. This is your blood running through you're veins./ he picked up my wrist delicately and ran a hand up my arm tracing my main artery.

/ I am not entitled to this. I don't deserve your life, only you deserve this gift aibou./ he turned his face from me and tried to hide his expression but I could see the pain there.

/ but... But I love you./ I shouted and immediately realized what I had said. I looked at the ground. How could I make this about me or my feelings when he had so much else going on. I don't know what I expected him to do or say but he surprised me when he tilted my chin up and forced me to face him. I could feel the impression of his hands but I couldn't feel any warmth from them. It was like feeling a breeze. Touching something nonphysical. He leaned forward and placed a chaste kids upon my lips and I wished with all my might to feel it. But I couldn't. He didn't have a body, he didn't have a life. I felt the tears begin to role down my face as the reality of the fact that I was in love with not much more than a ghost.

/ I know little one. But this, us... There can't be. I can not give you what you deserve and I want... No I need you to find someone else to share this love with. Someone who can give you what you need./ I chocked back my sobs as he denied me. It's not like I didn't already know how this would end up. I shifted my controle on the body and disappeared into the safe heaven of my soul room. I locked myself off from him and I made sure that he wouldn't be able to reach me. Then I prepared myself for a long emotional solitude. I was going to give him what he deserved even if he didn't want me too. I threw myself down and let myself cry.

Jou's POV

I sat with Kaiba quietly. If he had noticed that I was still here he hadn't acknowledged me yet. I watched as he shifted around uncomfortably and grunted in pain. He looked pretty messed up actually. They had his arm in a sling and since he was leaning up slightly and wasn't wearing a shirt I could see bandages around his torso. His right leg jutted out of the blanket at an awkward angle and he had a navy blue cast. I wondered idly if he had chosen the color himself.

He sighed suddenly drawing me from my thoughts. I looked up to see him staring at me with a quizzical look.

" what?" I asked and ran a hand through my hair. He frowned at me and I remembered that I really didn't like him. Whether he was hurt or not. But he had been a hero today, and it was really unlike him to go out of his way like that.

" what is your relationship with Kyrri?" He asked with narrowed eyes and he tried to cross his one arm but it just made me chuckle.

" she is my friend." I defended with a smirk. Apparently he didn't like that very much as he forced himself to sit up conpletey. I jumped up and grabbed his good shoulder as gently as I could and forced him down. All the while he glared daggers at me.

" don't be stupid Kaiba! You'll hurt yourself. I'm not after your girl I promise. I got a girl... Kinda but that's not the point." I said as I scooted my chair a little closer to him. Being closer I could see he was sweating and he looked pale. I shook my head as I pushed the nurse call button.

" what the hell are you doing mutt?" He tried to shout but I could tell the pain was getting to him, his voice was hoarse.

" you're in pain asshole I'm calling the nurse." I said as I pulled out of his reach when he attempted to swing at me.

" you did a really good thing today Kaiba." I said after a moment. He looked at me with a neutral face but I had gotten his attention.

" I don't know much about what's going on with you and Kyrri and the pharaoh but I do know one thing." I said quietly baiting him to continue the conversation.

" what's that?" He asked as he leaned his head back completely grunting again. I frowned, where the hell was that nurse?

" You love her. Not that teenage first love divorce bullshit. You got the real deal once in a lifetime love for that girl. I can see it on your face. You got it not once but an opportunity to have it twice. Don't mess that up Kaiba because I don't think you will get lucky a third time." Just as I closed my mouth the door opened and a nurse came in. I never got the chance to gage his reactions to my words as she saw his pale state she rushed in and began to take his blood pressure. I nooded at Kaiba and reached for the door. Just as I opened it he stopped me.

" do I deserve a second chance?" He asked sounding tired and fearful. I turned to him and smiled.

" as long as you spend every day of the rest of your life trying to prove it." And with that I closed the door and walked down the hall. I pulled my cell out and texted Yugi asking him to keep my updated and that I was heading home. It was late and today had been eventful to say the least.

Half way through my very long walk home my phone rang in my pocket. The tune of ' All of me' played and a huge smile broke out across my face. I quickly answered ready for some normalcy in this crazy day.

" hello?" Her sweet voice asked sounding cheerful and excited.

" Oh Anzu you have no idea how great it is to hear your voice!" I sighed smiling at her through the phone. It was funny a few years ago when all was normal if you had told me that I would end up loving Anzu instead of Mai. But back then I was a jerk and I didn't realize the importance of a real woman.

" I miss you Jou." She whispered through the line and it clenched my heart. She was in America living her dream at Juliard. She kept in contact with us all, and somewhere in between letters and long conversations over Skype we had fallen in love. Many lonely nights I kicked myself for flunking my senior year and having to take it again. I longed to be with her.

" I miss you too baby." I said an we were both quiet for a minute. She chuckled softly her voice ringing like bells making me smile again and forget my gloom.

" we always start each conversation the same way you know." She laughed and I could hear her shuffling with dishes in the back ground. In my mine I could almost see her making tea and eating an apple. She liked the green ones.

" I guess I'm just predictable then." I teased and decided to stop off at the large park. I was only another fifteen minutes from home but I just didn't want to be there suddenly. I found a bench and sat down.

" what are you doing?" She asked and I heard her bite down on the apple I had imagined her eating, and she calls me predictable.

" I just left the hospital actually I was on my way home and then I was going to call you." I said shaking y head. Today's events were still catching up to me. She gasped and shifted loudly.

" what? Are you okay? What happened?" I could tell her mouth was full because she sounded muffled. I chuckled at her.

" No I'm fine I promise. It's was actually that girl I was telling you about. You know the one that moved next door to me. Well get this, turns out she is the reincarnation of Yami's sister. And well she doesn't remember." I said knowing that she was going to freak out. I pulled the phone away from my ear just I. Time for her to shriek her what at me.

" wait the pharaoh has his memories?" She asked settling down again.

" yup and get this it was Kaiba who unlocked them for him." I said and once again prepared myself for her shock.

" why?"

" well it turns out that Kyrri was his I dunno wife I guess and seeing her caused him to remember so he used shadow magic to unlock Yami's memories." I said as I picked up a leaf and twirled it between my thumb and finger.

" Wow I miss everything. But that still doesn't tell me why you were at the hospital." She asked.

" oh yea that's the best part. She fell off the roof of the school..." I started but she cut me off.

" Jou that's awful!" She scolded me sounding angry.

" you didn't let me finish. She must have passed out cause she fell off the roof and Yami and Bakura, not Ryou but you know 'evil' Bakura were trying to save her but she fell anyways and Kaiba ran up out of no where and caught her. Well kind of, more like he cushioned her fall." I said still shocked over the situation. She gasped again and I heard her take a long sip of her tea.

" Wow. " was all she could say.

" tell me about it."

" are they okay?" She sounded genuinely concerned. Of course she was the girl has a heart of gold.

" Kaiba is pretty banged up. Some broken ribs and a broken leg and I think he might have dislocated his shoulder. And she is in the ICU but that's all I know. They came and got Yami saying they needed a family member and I left not Long after that." I said and stood back up stretching. It was time to start going home.

" well give them my well wished Jou. But I have to go. I have to get ready for class. I'll call you at lunch if you're still awake. " she said an I frowned. I hated our limited contact. But she was on the complete other side of the globe. And eleven hour gap. It would be after midnight here when she called again but I would stay up. I always did.

" I love you Anzu." I whispered as she returned my love. I sadly put the phone back in my pocket and continued my walk home.

As I reached my little fence gate I saw him. Kyrri's father was pacing through her living room. There were no curtains in that room. I could see the mess of beer cans and trash. He was in a rage, I watched him flip a coffee table before he ripped the door open and stormed out of the house slamming the door behind him. I watched quietly as he climbed into the shitty Crown Victorian and peel out down the street. I wondered if he was going to the hospital and why he was is such a violent fit.

Shaking my head I walked inside and threw myself on the couch. I wasn't even hungry, just drained and emotionally shell shocked. I had a feeling things were going to stay interesting for a while to say the least. Sometimes I wished I lived a normal life... Oh well. I tried to fight sleep as I slowly closed my eyes and drifted off.

Kry: well that's all she wrote. Please read and review. I am looking for some thoughts about whether or not I should have her remember as soon as she wakes up or hold off on that a bit. Love you all my three readers!


	10. Chapter 10

Kry: okay my loyal readers here is the tenth chapter. I feel like I have hit some sort of milestone with the tenth mark! So woot for me! And ways I am giving the official -WARNING- right here that there is some sexual content in the chapter. So let me know what you guys think and please review. Give me any criticism you want to dish my way, I am ready for your flames lol. Anyways if I have any typos please pm me am let me know, I have been using this app to write on my phone and it's a real pain in the arse...

Yami's POV

I looked at the clock that hung on the wall just to the right of the tv. I had been here long enough now that the sun was just beginning to peak itself over the horizon through the large windows. I rubbed at my eyes to try and remove the sleep crusts from the corners. This had been a long and lonely night waiting for news about Kyrri. Without Yugi to talk to I was miserable. Thinking of him made my heart squeeze, he was Unreachable to me right now. Locked away deep with in the darkest places of the puzzle and completely lost to me. I had spent hours through the night trying to find him and convince him that this was foolish, that this was his life and his body and only he deserved to live through it. But at the same time it touched my heart that he cared so much he would give up his own life to give me a chance at a second one. That was one of the traits that made me love him so strongly. He was so generous and people hardly were in this age.

I stretched out my muscles sore from sitting for so long in the same possition.

/ Yugi please talk to me./ I pleaded for probably the thousand time to receive Only silence. What was killing me the most was that I could feel him, I could always feel him. He was suffering so much all alone with his sorrow. All I wanted to do was pull him in my arms and wipe his tears away but I couldn't even do that. Just when exactly had I fallen for him? When had he fallen in love with ?me and why were we stuck in this painful situation.

/ if you would just talk to me. We can work something out I don't know how but we have to at least try... Yugi please I need you.../ I tried one more time I knew he could hear me because I could feel the sobs that wreaked through his body. I felt as he cried his broken heart out and I felt my own heart beat faster as I panicked. I needed to sooth his pain but he wouldn't let me and it was torture.

I tried to distract myself and think about something pleasant. But the only other thing I could think about was a cold hearted doctor cutting into my sisters brain while she laid motionless on one of those surgery tables you see on the emergency television shows that Jii-chan liked to watch. I shook my head and gripped the sides of it. Take me back to Egypt and I'll rule as pharaoh any day over this mess.

" Excuse me, you're Yami Mouto right?" A deep and tired voice asked from behind me. I looked up Into the eyes of an older man. He was wrinkled around the eyes and looked like he had spent a long time frowning in his life. I nodded looking hopeful and stood up.

" Kyrri made it through the surgery just fine and she just came out of recovery. We have have her in her own room now and you can visit her." He said and gestured for me to follow him. Inside I was jumping for joy, thankful that she was okay. That she was alive.

" We have her under a medically induced coma to allow her brain time to heal. Her brain is functioning just as it should though and she can hear you if you talk to her or feel if you were to touch her hand. This type of sensory stimulation will help with the healing." He said without really looking at me. When he was done we had reached her door. He opened it for me and I took a big breath and walked inside.

There she was laying fearfully still on the hospital bed. She had more machines hooked up to her than Seto had, this worried me because other than the bandages on her head she looked to be in better shape that seto at first glance. That is until I got closer to her and I could see that her arms were wrapped in gauze and she had bandages on her chest. I turned back to the doctor suprised.

" I thought she only hit her head?" I asked very upset. He frowned.

" Yes I was actually hoping you could give us more incite on that. Miss Rutherford came to us with a few injuries that were unrelated to her accident. She had a broken rib that we had to re-break and set back into place because it was healing wrong, and several contusions across her chest. Also when we were giving her an IV we found that she is a self mutilator and some of the cuts on her wrists were actually quite fresh. I would speculate that this is what caused her to become dizzy and fall from the roof." While he spoke he showed me where the injuries were and I remembered seeing the ugly bruises on her stomach while she had dangled from Bakura's arms. But I had no idea about her wrists. I felt a few tears fall against my will and I wiped them off with the sleeve of my shirt.

" I had no idea." I admitted feeling like I had failed her in some way by not being here for her sooner. Was she so alone through this life that she needed to hurt herself. It didn't make sense to me, I had never considered such a thing in all my years. What kind of pain makes you want to be in pain? I touched her hand and began to really cry, unashamed that this man was watching.

He must have given me my privacy because I heard the door click and I forcefully wiped my face again. I pulled a chair up next to her and held her hand.

" I swear to you under all the gods old and new that I'll never leave your side again. We were born together and we will always be together." I promised her as I sat in silence and watcher as she slept. She made no move or gave no sign that she had heard me but I kept on anyways. I told her about herself as a child an how she was always there for me.

"Do you remember our Mother? She was amazing, I wish that you could see her in your mind like I do. Dressed in white and gold with her eyes full of love and her kindness that all of Egypt adored. It would break her heart to see you like this. She would tell me ' Yami you should have protected her.'" I sniffled and wiped my face again. I should have been here, why had she been born again and I had merely been trapped In The puzzle. Why could I not get the chance to grow up with her again so she didn't have to face this world alone.

" Then there was how we used to drive father mad running through the palace. Remember when he actually got up from his throne and chased me down the hall because I had stuck my tongue out at him. He was so angry, I sure got In a lot Trouble but it was worth it. " I spoke softly not wanting to be too loud. And I just stayed like that with her. Holding her hand and talking to her about our past together. Little things I remembered.

" You were so beautiful, as a girl no one could tell you no. Even though you were actually quite shy, you were sharp and clever. You learned to read before me, and write. But I was always better with a blade. You did learn to wield though, you insisted that if I got to do it that you should too because you were a few moments older than myself." I smiled and squeezed Her hand gently.

" Remember when Seto first came to live at the palace with us. He began his priest training and the two of you were betrothed. Though father never told you himself. I was so happy when the two of you really fell in love. My best frown and my sister, I was surrounded by the people I trusted the most. Seth was the best thing that ever happen to you." When I said his name her hand twitched and I looked up suprised. But she remained motionless once more. This have me an idea though and I pulled Yugi's cell phone out and checked the time. It was about Seven Fourty-Five. That was a decent the I suppose. Is todo up an crushed a stray hair out of her face noticing that they did have to shave a patch of her hair. Though I thing it would stay hidden under her long locks.

I leaned down and kissed her head softly and promised I would return. Then I left the room and tried to figure out where I was in the hospital so I could navigate myself back to Kaiba's room. I ended up hopelessly lost but ended up finding the cafeteria and realized that I was actually really hungry.

" Can I get a bagel and two coffees. One black and one with two sugars and a dash of cream." I asked a perky lady behind the counter. She smiled and rang me out for fourteen thousand Yen. After I paid she handed me my drinks and food and I set out again to try and find Kaiba's room. I ended up having to ask a nurse at the nurses station who gladly guided me.

When I walked In to the room without knocking I found him giving Mokuba a hug and was glad to see that they had made up from their fight. Mokuba got up when he saw me and nodded as he was leaving the room.

" later Seto I'll come back after school." He waved. Shit! I forgot about school. Oh well surely they know that I am here after yesterday's events. Seto eyed me skeptically as I handed him his coffee. He lifted the lid and smiled.

" You know how I like my coffee?" He asked with a laugh and took a long drink.

" Kyrri mentioned it on her first day as your assistant." I said and he nodded.

"How is she?" He asked after taking a long and satisfying drink from his cup. I could tell that he had spent more time over night worrying rather than resting like he should have been.

" that's why I came, she made it through the surgery just fine. They said that she is under a medical coma to give her brain time to heal. But..." I stopped an tried to decide how to break this news to Seto?

" She had a lot of pre-existing injuries." I said and glared at my Half eaten bagel. He narrowed his eyes at me and sat in a straighter possition.

" What do you mean?" He demanded sounding Like the business man I had come to know. This was the side of Kaiba that I appreciated most of the time. Straight to the point.

" She had a broken rib that the doctors had to re break and re set." I started with what I considered to be the worst injury besides her head." His eyes widened and he gripped the blankets tightly.

" How the hell did she break her rib? For how long?" He pleaded not with me but just in general. I understood how he felt I wanted answers too.

" And she was covered with what the doctor said were contusions which I am guessing means bruises on her chest stomach and her arms and she also..." I stopped again, not because I did t want to tell him but because my guilt at not being there for her was crippling.

" What? Who the hell would do something like that to her I swear to God I will kill them." He growled and I could hear his teeth grinding together as he fumed. I worried how he would handle what else I had to say.

"There is more..." I spoke softly sounding nervous even to myself. He looked up and in to my eyes with his buisness face as he tried to keep himself composed.

"She also cuts herself. I didn't see them but her arms were all wrapped up." I whispered wanting to punch myself for her having to suffer.

Seto was obviously distraught over this fact but his reaction to pain was different than mine he shouted and punched his bead rail. I watched as he bent his head down and took a series of deep breaths to calm himself fown. He was always quick to anger this was something I was used to after growing up with him in the past. But after only a few seconds the anger gave way to the pain and I watched as three... Five... Six tear drops fell I to the white of his sheets and his shoulders started to shake.

"How do I protect her from herself?" He moaned and wiped his face dry. I frowned, I didn't have an answer for him.

"How do we protect her when she doesn't even remember who we are?" He asked sounding tired and defeated.

" I don't know. I wouldn't risk you trying to do to her what you did to me. You barely have your powers under control and you refuse to wield your millennium rod. I don't think I could without Yugi. Our energy is very tightly woven together and without his cooperation I don't think I can tap I to my full abilities." I sighed Again and lowered my face.

" Who ever the hell laid they're hands on her will pay. I will personally make sure of that." He spat and his eyes turned icy and vicious again like I had come so used to seeing. I nodded in agreement.

" I was talking to her and I said your name and she reacted she squeezed my hand for a second and then it was like nothin ever happened." I said to try and distract him enough to calm him Down.

" I mean Seth not Seto." I clarified. His eyes widened and a small almost unnoticeable smile graced his lips before the stress replaced it once more.

"I have got to get out of this hospital bed. " he sighed in frustration and downed the last of the coffee that I brought him.

" When will you get to leave?" I asked finishing off my breakfast.

" They won't tell me but I called my family doctor and he is suppose to come and sign over my care to him since he is a home doctor and I do have a company to run after all." I nodded at him, that made sense for him to work from home. I looked at his leg and felt a wave of guilt.

" I'm so sorry Kaiba." I said as I touched a hand lightly to his cast. He didn't seemed bothered by the gesture and shrugged.

" I would gladly trade my life for hers or yours, you know that so let's not worry about such things." He spoke deliberately soft and I knew it was true. I decided I liked this Seto, though he was more like the Seth I had grown up with than the cold hearted CEO that I had come to know , now he was a nice mix of the two people and I think I was realizing how well it blended into so simply him.

I was glad that Kyrri would have him if she was to ever remember her past. He had truly loved her, He still loves her more than his own life. She would have that special person to help her be happy. I though about Yugi, and I wanted to cry again. Though I kept my composure I must have made a face because I got the attention of my companion.

" What's eating you?" He asked with his usual snide attitude that I was coming to learn was his own awkward way of communicating.

I shook my head not wanting to share something so personal. But he was having none of that as he grunted to shift positions and tap me in the arm.

" No tell me. I'm not good at this anymore, talking that is... But I am your... friend and I do want to help... even of I have lost the social skills it takes to carry on a normal conversation." He sounded angry and his face was Neutral but I knew he was putting in a lot of effort to try and actually be my friend like we had once been and I had to give him credit for that.

"It's Yugi." I admitted sounding even more like a kicked dog than I felt. He frowned and leaned back, but otherwise waited for me to go on.

"Things are complicated and I don't know how to fix them. I don't see a way around this situation without one of us being hurt if not both of us." I said in defeat.

"Well what's the problem?" He asked with mild interest.

"He has locked himself deep inside of the puzzle where even I can not reach him nor find him because he insists that I deserve a second chance at life." My stomach turned and I regretted having ate at all.

"No offense, because you do deserve a second chance especially if you're suppose to save the world and shit. But why would he do that for you?" He questioned.

"He told me that he loves me and all I could think to tell him was that I didn't deserve his love evade I could never give him what he deserves" I whispered looking down to hide my reddening face. He laughed and this made me want to punch him but he was already in the hospital and I didn't think that would go over very well. After a moment he calmed his laughter and noticed me sulking even more.

" I'm sorry. It's not funny, it's actually kind of sad. Poor kid. " he apologized.

"What's even sadder is that I love him too and we can never be together. We can never touch each other. I can never give him what he wants." This had Seto quiet as he contemplated my situation but in the end he had no ideas that could help me.

"Take no offense to this but I didn't know you were gay. Is that why you never took a wife?" He asked with a sly smile I wanted to swat at him but thought better of it with his injuries. He sure was making me want to hit him a lot today. I cursed his broken leg for not being able to take my frustrations out.

" No! I didn't even know back then. I just wasn't interested in romance I had a country to run. I was only sixteen for Ra's sake." I defended hotly and stood up to pace around the room. Was I gay or was it just that Yugi was my other half. I felt like I had waited for him my whole life and even beyond that, Just to be a part of his life. What a life it was turning into now he was planning to spend an eternity locked in the puzzle in my place.

I sat back down and hid my face in my hands.

"If he never comes out of the puzzle and I have to live this life without him I don't know what I will do. If I die he will be trapped in the damn thing forever!" I muttered depressed and flicked the puzzle.

" I'm sorry Yami." He spoke genuinely and patted my hand that was still resting on his leg.

"If I had known that having my memories back would end up like this I would have chosen for things to stay how they were. I don't mean having Kyrri in our lives just like I don't know..." I surrendered and groaned.

" ignorance is bliss." He agreed and frowned.

" I can't stop thinking about her laying in my arms gurgling up blood as she died, I can't seem to make the nightmares go away." He admitted and began to scratch at his wounded arm idly. I grimaced as my own view point of that awful night came to mind.

" So you and Mokuba made up?" I asked to change the subject from such grim topics. He smiled, that real Kaiba smile that people would be lucky to see and nodded. I was glad that he was opening up to me, it was almost like we were picking our friendship up where we left off so long ago.

" He came early this morning so he could catch me before his first day of high school. Damn kid isn't even fourteen and he's trying to be an adult already." He sighed and leaned back on his pillows conpletely. I think that he must have been starting to hurt because he was looking more and more tired as the minutes passed.

" Well he had a good example on growing up too fast." I commented and stood up to throw away our empty coffee cups and the wrapper from my bagel. He chuckled and then grimaced.

"It's weird now that I accept that I am the reincarnation of an ancient person. I fully remember that life and then I have this life and sometimes I feel like I'm two different people crammed into one. I have people I care about from the past that aren't a part I my life now and then I have people now that we're never a part of my life before like Mokuba. I love him to death but it's strange to think that I never had a little brother before." He said as he closed his eyes. I thought about his words for a moment but didn't say anything. It didn't take log before I could tell he had fallen asleep.

I stood up and searched for a pen and paper that were sitting on his bedside table. I wrote on the paper ' Seto, make sure you call me when you get released from your prison. I will let you know about Kyrri if anything happens. Thanks for listening to me. -YM'

I placed the note where I was sure he word see it and smiled a small sad smile and turned off his lights as I left. A nurse passed me on my way out the door and chuckled.

"Everyone thinks he is such a hard ass, but all I have seen since he got here is a regular boy who has way to much responsibility. It's actually kind of sweet how he keeps asking about your sister." She said and I quirkier an eye brow at her. Normal in reference to Kaiba was a strange thought. She just smiled and went about giving Kaiba some medicine through his IV.

Bakura's POV

I awoke covered in sweat and cold. I quickly grabbed a shirt and threw it on. It was pitch black in Ryou's room, luckily he loved the dark like I did. I searched for him inside his soul room and found that he was sleeping. Good I didn't want him to know what I was about to do anyways.

With this though I glanced down at my hardened groin. I groaned, this as not something I missed about being in a physical body. The urges running through Ryou's eighteen year old body were too much. I needed to rid myself of this nuisance so could go back to the hospital. I tried to remember what I had been dreaming, for the first night in longer than I could remember it wasn't a nightmare. I was actually clear of the darkness though the night and it had given me a lot of time to think things through. When Yugi had bluntly asked me if I loved Kyrri it had made me ask myself. Did I? I had come up with an answer but I didn't like it. Yes I cared for her very deeply, but I didn't love her like I once had. Or like the priest did. Living in the twenty first century had taught me things about myself that I hadn't cared about in the past. I realized Kyrri was just an infatuation of my young heart and something that the darkness had used to push me into it's evil plans. In the end she was my best friend but that was her place in my life.

So what had I dreamed of then? I still couldn't remember but it must have been somethig nice. I reached a timid hand into my boxers and gave myself a stroke.

/ allow me to help you./ said a silky smooth voice, it didn't sound like Ryou at all but I lost control of my own arm and was lost in pleasure.

/ Ryou?/ I questioned in a crazed voice. This was similar to what I had dreamed, I could remember bits and bits of it as I came closer to the edge.

/ would you like that? If you're presidios Hikari fell on his knees before you./ I realized then what was happening, I tried to jerk away but how do you escape yourself. I heard the hissing inside my mind.

/ leave him alone!/ I tried to sound threatening but it almost sounded lie I was pleading. The pumping was faster and more erratic an even as I felt my stomach turn in disgust I moaned involuntarity.

/ Ah but I can't do that. He looks like fun, I bet be could be even more fun than you were./ I could feel breath on my ear and smell the death. I gulped as a hand came over my throat. Wait, a real physical hand was covering my mouth now. I tried to turn and escape and realized my arm was my own now. I looked down and could see as a pale hand smaller than my own finished it's work and I lost my sight for a moment in unwanted bliss. I yelled out and pushed myself away, when I turned I was looking at myself. No I was looking at Ryou, he was standing beige me in full physical form and he was holding the ring.

/ I'm sorry Kura. I couldn't fight this anymore. He was too strong and he was going to use to against your will like before... I couldn't let that happen to you again./ tears fell from his chocolate orbs an I watched in horror as the tendrils of darkness wrapped all the way around him.

"No! Damn it no I won't let you have him. Take me, you piece of shit take me!" I screamed and tried to fight my way though the darkness. I could hear him weeping and then I heard him scream bloody murder. I was pushed back by a strong blast of energy and hit Ryou's dresser with a thud.

I watched as Ryou looked at me his eyes conpletely black and smiled a wicked smile showing all his teeth. Then in a puff of purple and black smoke he disappeared filling my ears with laughter that was so Ryou that it made me sick.

What the hell just happened. J looked down at my soiled boxers and screamed out In Anger again. How could I let this happen, how could I let this monster get him. I thought I had the situation under control but obviously I was a fool to think I could keep Zork the dark lord captive within myself forever.

I knew I needed help, and the pharaoh was my only option for that. I grabbed clean cloths and fresh boxers and jumped I got in the shower wasting no time cleaning myself and then I threw my cloths on pulled my wild locks into a pong tale to keep the out of my face and left the small apartment locking the door behind me.

I walked to the game shop with a perninate frown. Why had I even let something so disgusting happen. How could I have let that beat bring me pleasure. Sure I had thought it was Ryou but... Wait a minute what would it have changed if it was Ryou? I shouldn't have such perverse thoughts about my Hikari. He was too innocent, so much so that I swore I would save him from this torture.

I reached the shop to find it dark and empty, even though it was already almost noon. I figured that he was still at the hospital but he had to come back eventually. I had to talk to him without being around others.

Maybe another thirty minutes passed and I could see him walking down the sidewalk towards his home. He looked pissed to be honest and a sinking feeling hit me, I hadn't even thought about how Kyrri's surgery went. He saw me then and he nodded his greeting at me.

" she is going to be okay. But you could have went to see her. You earned that right." He said as he pushed past me to unlock his door. He was obviously very irritated and my presence wasn't helping apparently.

" I need your help." I decided to get straight to the point. He eyed me like I was crazy and walked inside. I followed him and watched as he hung up his keys and took off his school coat.

"You know I really don't feel inclined to help you." He stated bluntly and pushed past me again and walked into his living room.

" don't make me beg you." I muttered glaring at him his attitude was pissing me off but I wasn't below begging right now either if it saved Ryou. He turned then and raised a brow at me.

"Fine I'll think about it what is it?" He sighed in defeat and I shook my head not sure where to start. I ended up just telling him the truth minus the personal parts. When I was done telling store he sat in muted shock.

" you're telling me that somehow Ryou was able to be split from you in a physical body. As in you both have your own body's?" He questioned as if he didn't believe me. I nodded and tightened my hands around the warm cup of tea he had ended up making me when he made his own tea.

" it's the dark lord Zork. A fragment of his soul survived attached to me in the millennium ring and for all these years I have been trying to keep him sealed away within myself. But with Kyrri's appearance he stirred and began to grow in power. But when I refused to be a part of that evil I think that my will power was enough to drive him to the next best thing. My poor Hikari..." I said and I wanted to punish myself for letting this happen. Yami frowned and stood up.

"We have to stop him and save Ryou before it's too late." He commanded and I didn't argue.

" so you will help me?" I asked just to be sure. It was our of character for me to ask for help and j was decidedly uncomfortable.

" I might not like you Bakura but you were just as much a pawn to Zork as the rest of us were. The only way for us to stop this is for us to work together. Though I don't know how." I nodded in agreement and looked down into my cup and wished that it was me that Zork was using. I was used to that brand of torutre but what would it do to sweet Ryou? How warped would he be when he came back to me?

" I will call Isis later and I will call Yugi's Jii-chan and see if there are any hieroglyphs that he has translated that can give us any information about how to seal Zork for good." He said looking thoughtful. I felt my stomach drop, the last time that anyone attempted to lock him away everyone ended up dead.

"There has to e another way to do it besides what you already tried." I said bervously. He nodded.

"No that was a failure, we will find another way." He promised looking fiercely determined. His confidence gave me little hope but at least it was somethig.

" do you think that what happened between you and Ryou could happen with Yugi and I? That we could separate " he asked hopefully. How had I not realized before that he had an alternative notice to help me. I narrowed my eyes.

" I could do it if I had the ring. I'm positive that that's what Zork used but he took it." Yami deflated visibly and nodded to himself.

"Then promise me that when we save Ryou an return your ring that you will help me." He asked in a barely disguised pleading voice.

" assuming he comes back to me in one piece you have my word." I spoke smirked as he took his empty cup to the sink.

" the word of a thief means little to nothing." He laughed but I could tell he was only being his normal snarky self.

I stayed for another ten minutes and then bid my farewell so I could make my way to the hospital to see my friend. Before I went Yami had filled me in on her condition and I acted like j didn't already know about her hurting herself. Now that everyone knew perhaps we could all keep her safe.

Unknown POV

I kept running and running for my life. Behind me a dense darkness threatened to envelope me conpletely. I could hear hissing and screaming.

I ran right I to a towering dragon with flaking golden scaled and whiskers hanging down past it's drooping face. Te beast roared at me and slowly swing his front paw at me. I dodge rolled out of the way and continued my running.

I was so afraid, it was like every fear I had ever had all wrapped up into one awful nightmare. I came across a river of blood, rushing like rapids over rocks. Monsters of various sizes and shapes were drowning and fighting and biting each other as they flowed with the dangerous currents. I looked up to see that the sky was full of winged beasts an argon all fighting and kneaded. I screamed and ducked my head as a cursed dragon flew right over my head, I could smell the rotting flesh on it's bones.

I kept running, all I knew was that I had to save him. I didn't know who or why but I knew that if I let him die that I would never forgive myself. Without even knowing who I was fighting for I knew that he was my whole world.

I felt my hand tighten around the hilt of a blade as I stopped next to a giant rock. I looked more closely and realized that the sword was stuck inside of a giant crystal not a rock. This whole landscape was composed of crystals of various sizes. I was startled when I heard crus for help. I tried to pull the sword but the walls around me began to shake.

" you have to save us " I could eat the voice of a woman speak softly I to my ear. I whipped my head around and found no one.

" I will just tell me who you are. I promise I'll help you!" I swore screaming into the sky. But I got no reply.

Suddenly the environment shifted and I found myself face down on the scalding sand of the desert. I raised myself up to see that I was standing at the face of a great pyramid. I watched as many horses rushed. Out of the cities gates and past me as if they couldn't see me. When I looked to where they were heading I could see the sky had turned red as the horizon was black. This was familiar but how?

The. I was sitting quietly in the shade of several palm trees. Reeds blew gently in the calm waters edge and I could see a shrine that was covered in beautiful sea shells. I leaned back into the arms of my companion as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do and listened as he hummed a lullaby to me. I tried to look at this persons face but found that it was blurry and no matter how hard I focused I could t see him.

The soft scenery melted an I was standing in a grand throne room. The walls were thirty foot high and the floor was a beautiful obsidian color. I stared into the eyes of Evil and bared my teeth.

As j began to fall through the floor as if it were made of quicksand I could hear demented laughter.

"Come out come out where ever you are princess." Tainted a sinister voice. I whirled around once more to find no one.

"PLEASE SAVE US!" Screamed the woman's voice from before. I began to run again. More confuses that ever. Who needed my help, who was I running from... And who the hell was I?

" I love you." Whispered a familiar and soothing voice as arms wrapped around me. Instinctually I eased into the embrace as if it was something I did everyday.

" please come back to me my love." He pleaded and I caught a glance of his cerulean eyes as he disappeared again.

I could see myself though I'm not sure how I knew it was me as a child running with a little boy. He was the same hight and had the same stunning crimson eyes. His hair was crazy and all over the place but it have him a cute kind of charm. He threw his arms around my you get counterpart and smiled a toothy grin. He was missing one of his front teeth.

Then I was transported Into my old house. I could see myself again as a child but this was different. I was alone and I was in modern cloths. I laid on my stomach with a pile of crayons and a coloring book. My father opened the front door and he smiled at me.

"Daddy!" My little doppelgänger exclaimed excitedly and ran into his open arms. This made me smile, once there had been something nice about him.

"Where is mommy?" He asked as he sag his briefcase down. She smiled and told the man that her mother was taking a nap in her room. My eyes widened, I knew this place. I knew what was about to happen...

My father walked I to his and my mothers room and I heard a blood curdling scream. The little me jumped and ran into my parents old room. Where she too screamed. I tried to close my eyes but I saw anyways as my father cradled the body of my mother. She was already gone when he came home. She had taken a bottle of sleeping pulls and slit her wrists...

I opened my eyes again and I was sitting in a class room with my father and my teacher. I remembered this too, except this memory I was myself instead of a bystander. I felt the fear clench in stomach as my father explained that I was a troubled girl since my mothers death and that I got Into a lot of fights. This seemed to put my teacher at peace and he apologized to my father for wasting his time. Once we were outside away from prying eyes he grabbed my arm so hard that tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. He threw me I to the car and rove in silence the three blocks away to our home. When we got home he beat me until I fell unconscious. I could feel the burn of each kick, slap and punch.

I was glad when the ache art shifter bak to sand once more. I found myself running behind a white haired boy. He turned back and smiled at me.

"Don't worry were almost back to the palace. I promised I would help you get home." He said and I smiled. This boy had charm and was adorable. He helped me find a guard who upon seeing me immediately ripped me from the arms of my new friend and drug me back to the palace.

" you never told me your name!" I shouted at him as I was being pulled away. He smiled at me.

" I am the great Thief King Bakura!" He shouted back at me. I smiled and waved at him with my free hand.

" I promise I will find you again." I vowed and turned to walk with the gaurs as he escorted me home.

Then I found myself lost in blue. It was like looking into the ocean so pure and beautiful. I smiled and sighed as I leaned in and gave him a long and passionate kiss. He wrapped his arms around my slender frame an pulled me close. For a moment I was completely lost in the passion of this moment.

"Oh Seth don't ever let me go." I asked as I layer my head against his chest. He squeezed me tighter and whispered against my ear his breath tickling my neck.

" you would have to take my life for me to leave your side." He vowed and placed a kiss on my four-head.

Seth.

Oh my Ra.

Seth, I had to find him. I had to protect him. He had no idea the danger he was in and I had to warn him before it was too late. And what about my brother Atem? All these memories were flooding my head too fast. Was I the broken girl who lost her mother and was raised by a monster or was I the princess who had gave up her life to save the one she loved?

I found myself in darkness again and found that I was leaned against a huge shard of crystal that jutted up out of the floor.

Kry: well there it is. I hope you all liked it, I'm already working on the next installment in my epic story. So review my lovelies!


	11. Chapter 11

Kry: Okay here is the eleventh installment in my story. Some of this might he a little confusing but I promise t will make more since in the next few chapters. I am so sorry this chapter didn't come out yesterday because it should have. I was 50% done and then decided I wasn't going to write for 25 hours straight because Attack on Titan that's why! But really I am so sorry guys. I'll make sure the next chapter it at least 8000 words as a treat! And if I get three reviews I'll make it 10000!

Ryou's POV

Everything was cold and I could hear the repetitive dripping of a liquid somewhere. I shifted uncomfortably and tried once more to pull my wrists from the iron clasps that had me chained to a bar far above my head. My wrists screamed in protest of the weight on them and I cried out.

Forcing myself to focus I reached my spiritual energy out trying to reach Bakura. If I could only find him and make contact. I knew that my freedom wasn't possible but if I could only explain to him why I let this happen. The look of betrayal on his face as I made my apology to him, when he knew that I had made this choice. I felt a few more tears let loose but I wasn't intimidated by my emotions and never really had been. Sure I got teased a lot growing up, I got called a cry baby and I was labeled as a nice sensitive guy. The kind of guy who was definition friend-zone by the book.

But being in tune with my own feelings and thoughts had given me insight that not many people my age had.

Like I understood pretty young that I had to leave my father and live on my own. That the death of my sister had destroyed something in him that I could never fix and it was only going to further damage my view on the world to stay in such a situation.

Like I understood without ever needing to clarify that what Bakura was going through was hard. Was bloody awful, and he had waged this within himself for over five thousand years... He had hung from these chains and that monster had done to him what he was doing to me.

And I understood him, I had been watching him lately. He was making me so proud, he was choosing to do the right thing for the first time in his life an that must have been the hardest decision of his existence.

I also undsetood that I loved him, beyond all the nasty things he has said and done I could feel this side of him. This good decent human being who was starved or positive reinforcement. Who was so lonely and I understood his pain. I had to give him his best chance, I loved him and I had to let him go and live freely for the first time in so long.

I could feel the sobs as they wrecked through my thin frame. Shaking my whole body and rubbing my raw wrists to my chains causing blood to trickle down.

This was the worst part of the millennium ring, the darkest deepest part where the magic had been affected by Zork over the long years he was captive here. The magic was warped, somehow he had managed to find a way to make a spiritual presence physical here. So instead of being nothing more than a ghost in here I was actually feeling this pain even though he was using my body for whatever foul purposes.

/Kura./ I sighed sadly. If only I could tell him before I lost my mind, as attuned as I am with my own self I know I won't last here long. I am a relatively weak willed individual.

Suddenly I felt a surge of guilt was over me but this wasn't my own.

/BAKURA!/ I shouted and wished with all my might that I could reach for him. I think that even if he didn't hear me he could feel me because it was almost like he was here with me for a moment. I could feel him trying to project himself inside the ring and reach me but Zork's power was too strong.

I felt as he cried for me, as he let himself wallow in guilt that I had been taken. I swallowed down the bile that tried to rise up and escape. I was hurting him, in trying to reach out to him I was causing him more pain and guilt. I had to stop this!

I bowed my head in defeat and shut my heart tightly into myself and locked my feelings away. I couldn't hurt him anymore, after all this was my chance to save him. With every ounce of will I had I let go. I could feel his panic for one terrible moment before I had conpletely severed our bond. I yelled out my chest squeezing tightly and a fresh wave of tears poured down my dirty face.

" learning your place hmm." Zork hissed at me as he materialized behind me. I didn't move or raise my head and refused to look him in the eye. He growled and gripped my chin trying to force me to look him in the eye as he slithered around me.

" submit to me boy, make things easier for yourself." He bargained crudely as his nails dug into the skin of my face making me bleed. I didn't flinch but I finnaly rose my eyes defiantly and looked him straight I the eye as I spat in his face. For Kura, for myself.

"Fuck off you bloody bastard." I seethed out not sure where this defiance had come from.

His eyes widened in an indignant look for a moment, obviously I had caught him of gaurd. He'll Id surprised even myself but there was this bubbling anger in the pit of my stomach. I hated this monster and I used that as my fuel.

He roared as he ripped me down, the chains melting hotly off my tender wrists and threw me to the ground. I got a good look at him then when he wasn't behind me or right in my face anymore. He was in some form Close to human. But he looked like for demon from hell with horns and scales blacken skin and a crazy tail that had it's own head with a set a razor sharp teeth. He had leathery wings that were tucked closely up against his back. I gulped at hi sheer size and muscle mass. He was three times my size and ten times my strength but I was determined to survive this one way or another.

" I can see why Bakura liked you so much. Did you know he spent every moment of his improsnoment in this room. Eventually he submitted into a shell of his former self, that is until you came around and he agreed to do my bidding if I left you alone. You put a fire inside him again, he tried to protect you but I suppose that it was futile since you chose to accept this fate he tried to hide from you..." He spoke with a cold and condescending voice as he kicked me in the chest and stomach again and again. I bit my lips shut until I knew they were bleeding before I finally gasped out in undeniable pain.

He laughed and grabbed me by the hair. He inspected my face closely as if he was looking for something.

" you're even more dazzling than he was. Imagine me surrounded by all those tan skined dark haired Egyptians to find a boy who was marked by the goddess herself. Pale as the moon and legend says as brilliant in comparison to the night sky with powers unimaginable gifted by the goddess herself. He was born with a light that I couldn't wait to devour evey last but of that light, but for now I suppose you will have to do." He said as he licked the side of my face. I froze up and my body became tense. He chuckled as he snapped his figers again an I was in chains.

" I will devour the light. All of the light until I find her and I will devour her too." He screamed and swiped his hand out in blind rage tearing down my chest with his razor sharp talons. I screamed and he seemed to be satisfied with my pain as he left the room presumably to go back to what ever vile deeds he was using my body for.

"Ryou!" Bakura yelled as he was suddenly before me in what seemed to be a physical form. I watched in shock as tears freely flowed down his face. How had he found me, wasn't Zork keeping me locked away where I couldn't be reached?

"You have to leave!" I roared at him and tried to avoid meeting hi gaze. He wasn't safe, I wasn't going through all this just for him to be sucked right back in.

"No he won't be able to detect me for a few minutes. Inside the catacombs of the ring is another demenion, yes he has controls here but I spent enough time to be able to know how to hide from him." He explained but he didn't make a move towards me. I felt a small part I myself sadden by this fact.

" I can't touch you here Ryou. I'm not a part of his magic anymore... But you are. You have to learn to harvest this power so you can fight for control." He said weakly. I frowned like hell I could manage that.

" I spoke to the pharaoh and were trying to figure out how to save you. I promise we will find a way." He took a step forward, I could clearly see the guilt etched out over his face. He reached a hand forward but as he touched my chest e jerked back. His hand was burned badly and he cradled it in his other has.

" how can I tell you just all that you are." He said miserably as he hung hi head. I felt the room darken, Zork must be aware of his presence.

" I have to leave, if he catches me here he will kill me, he doesn't need me anymore. But he won't kill you, he needs a host." He said in a panic, I wanted to ask him to stay. To see if he would return but I knew he wouldnt. Somehow I could read it on his face that he had risked everythig to see me just this once.

" Bakura I have to tell you something." I pleaded but he was already gone. When Zork returned he was furious and he made sure to show me just how much I had fucked up. I laid motionless as he took from me my very being with each blow. He mangled my body inside and out and as I cried myself into restless dreamless sleep I knew that Bakura would not return, I could tell he was feeling what had just happened to me and he was shouldering the pain for us both.

Yami's POV

I woke up on the third day since the accident disoriented and confused. I looked down at the clock on Yugi's bed side table an saw that it was already ten in the morning. Shit I overslept! I jumped up and quickly dresse deciding that a shower was out of the question. I had a lot to do today.

I took out my cellphone. And called the familiar number of Yugi's grandfather. After a few rings he answered with a friendly hello.

" Jii-chan, I need your help." I said without even greeting him. I knew he wasn't fond of this kind of rude behavior but it wasn't the time for me to worry about that. He grumped at me and asked me what I needed.

" well I need you to see if you can find anything about Zork the dark lord or any spells used to contain him without casualties." He gasped in shock.

" Zork the the god of desolation?" He asked sounding as if he was about to have a heart attack I agreed with his analysis.

"What have you crazy kids gotten yourselves into this time?he asked with worry evident in his tone.

" more that we can chew off and Yugi has Locked himself completely away where i can't even reach him. I think something is wrong, something big is about to happen I can feel it." I said letting the stress of the situation wash over me. He didn't speak for a long moment and I didn't expect the response he gave me.

" you mean to tell me you still haven't made up with him?" He accused me. He was obviously very angry.

" I did but then a lot happened. Kyrri fell off of the roof of the school and Kaiba unlocked my memories and their both in the hospital and when we finally made up he admired his love for me and I didn't want him to have to love someone he can't touch or be with so i told him to let it go and find someone else." I tried to defend but it came out all wrong and much like usual I realized too late what an asshole I could be. Everything was still happening so fast an I couldn't get a grip on things at all.

" just because you are a pharaoh doesn't mean you get to decide who people love. How could you break his heart like that?" He yelled and I shrunk down like a child being scolded. I didn't mean to hurt him I just wanted what was best.

" I've tried to apologize. I've tried to reach him, to tell him we can try whatever he wants as long as he comes back. I don't want his life I want him to live it. I would be happy spending the rest of eternity trapped in the puzzle if I just got to spend his life with him." I cried out guiltily.

" perhaps you should be telling him this." He spoke softer then, calmer. I nodded though he was unable to see the actuon.

" you find a way to bring my grandson back where he belongs and I will work on figuring out how you can fight this new evil foe. " I agreed an hung up the phone.

/ Yugi please come back. I haven't told you how I feel yet./ I whispered in my mind. I got no response from him but decided to talk anyways.

/I don't have explanation for why I feel this way, I was never interested in romance before. I was so determined to make up for my fathers mistakes as pharaoh that I let it consume me. So when you freed me from the puzzle and aloud me to share your body this was all so new to me. I didn't know how to react when I began to care for you. And throughout the years I feel like I may have misrepresented my feelings a bit. I do love you Hikari more that I know how to explain. But it don't want you to waste your time with someone who literally can't give you a thing. I wanted you to love someone who will be able to give you everything./ I admitted to myself and to him I didn't think he was listening and I put my face in my hands.

/ but you don't get to decide who I love. Or who I plan to spend my life with./ he spoke softly and I lifted my eyes to see him, something was different, his face was softer and his hair was longer and more flattened. He didn't look as much like me as he had only a few days ago. Even in spiritual form.

/Kaiba did something when he tried to help you unlock your memories... I didn't want you to know. Somehow I'm different than i was before./ he admitted with a shrug.

/Yugi I'm sorry./ I apologized with my head bowed again. I wonder when he will get tired of me apologizing.

/ don't be. When I had to take controls for you at te hospital it took every ounce of power I had. I can't control your body because for some reason it's your body now not mine. It was like when we were dueling Pegasus and I could barely stand to be in control./ he said sadly. My eyes widened what did this mean?

/ I don't know./was his response to my unspoken question.

I watched him closely as he moved closer to me. He movements were more fluid and he seemed almost graceful. If possible he was smaller than before and thinner.

/ yugi?/ I asked in concern as he fell forward. I reached my arms out to catch him and was suprised when he softly landed in my arms. He was semi physical right now.

/Yugi I can touch you!/ I gasped out but he was unconscious. What was happening to him. I panicked and left him with in the comfort of his soul-room where I could easily get back to him and hoped that he wouldn't hide away again.

I called Isis then and after the fifth ring someone answered.

"Ishtar residence Marik speaking." He answered and I frowned. I know that he wasn't to blame for all the destruction of battle city since it had technically been another fragment of Zork but I still didn't like the boy.

" this is Yami is your sister acailable." I asked curtly he was surprised by my call and quickly passed the phone over to his sister.

" my pharaoh I was expecting your call. How may I help you." She asked kindly and I found it funny that she could see I wa going I call her but not what I was going to say but I supposed that the future was sometimes subjective to the choices people make. I spent the next hour giving every account of the past week. From Kyrri's first day though her accident, Bakura deciding to forsake Zork and then Ryou loosing control and being spilt into a separate physical body to whatever was happening with Yugi. When I was done she stayed silet for a moment collectib her thoughts.

" it's beginning again. This is possibly the worst time for this to happen. There is a new evil building in power somewhere in the ocean and if Zork manages to fuse with this power it could be devestating." She said in fear. She explained a few myths about ancient Atlantis but I wasn't really interested in that nonscence.

" if Bakura and Ryou were able to all split bodies then could Yugi and I a well?" I asked hopeful. She clicked her toungue and sighed.

I don't suppose why not seeing how you are meant to be seperate in the first place." She said thoughtfully.

" what do you mean?" I asked suprised and I sat down on the large leather sofa in the living room.

" well I have been studieing the Hikari's and Yami's since we became aware of their duel existence along side one another. What I know about souls from studieing the ancient past is that a soul is created as one and then split into two so that they can find one another and live in harmony. But with yours and Bakura cases there is imbalance in the dark and light energies that make you up. Therefor one of you is darker while the other more light instead I being equals. Since both ou and Bakura were exposed to large amounts of shadow magic in the last I would say that once you managed to find your other half through the mellenium items you weren't granted bodies because you ha tipped everything out of motion. As humans I don't think we were ever really meant to mess with the powers of the gods. But I would wager to say that if you could get yourselves on equal ground that you would be seperated. This is probably what happened with Ryou an Bakura, when Zork transferred his attentions I Ryou his soul became a great deal darker while Bakura stayed the same because the damage for him was done long ago. When they reached a balance then their bodies seperated and Zork was able to take over Ryou. We have to find a way to stop him before he consumes too much light and he destroys the world as we know it." I listened to her and leaned forward and frowned even deeper. I had much to think about.

" I am coming to Domino. I will book the very next flight and come to assess the situation myself. You mentioned that Kaiba now remembers and believes in his past?" she asked and I agreed quietly.

" I will bring the mellenium rod and i will contact Shadi and let him know to be prepared for the dangers ahead. Pharoah I must warn you though. I have felt a disturbance with the old gods and goddesses... I fear this war may enevitavly be out of our hands." She proclaimed Solemnly. After that we bid our farewells and I promised to pick her up from the air port. I decided to check on Yugi who was still fast asleep but looked like he was having a nightmare.. I reached out and touched his hand and found that once more I could touch him, just not conpletely. I smiled as I strikes my fingers over the back of his hand. This wa another thing I needed to talk to Isis about since I had forgotten. I wasn't sure that what ever was up with Yugi was Kaiba's fault. After all as soon as Kyrri showed up both Bakura and I had practically been forced out of the items before we even really know why. I felt that greater powers were defiantly at work here and it honestly scared the shit out of me.

Seto's POV

I glared at the preppy nurse who was helping me though my discharge, my family doctor Mr. Taletsudua waited by the door with a smirk on his face as he watched me fidget uncomfortably and swat the hand of the nurse away as she lingered her cold hands on one of my biceps for too long.

When she wa done going trough my paperwork that needed my signature and treatment of my leg she finally let me leave.

" I have somethig to do before I leave the hospital I commanded sternly. He shrugged and pushed me according to the directions I was giving to Kyrri's room. Once inside I used my arms and rolled the wheelchair to the side of her bed.

She was too pale, and the tubes and monitors she was hooked up to have the scene a gruesome undertone. I frowned as I took her hand, I was so happy that I was able to help even if only a little to keep her from what was surely going to be a painful death.

I ran my hand up the length of her arm and back back and fourth in a soothing motion. I felt goose bumps form on her soft skin as I caressed her.

" I love you so much, I need ou to come back to me.. I mean really come back because I don't think I can do this without you.". I whispered as I forced myself to stand on my one good leg and lean over her thin frame to kiss her four head. So close to her mouth it was easy to hear the contented sigh she gave. But after that I didn't get any kind of response from her. After about twenty minutes I pushed myself back and let Taletsuda Push me out of te hospital and help me into the back of my limo.

The ride was awful, I had no idea the poor state of the domino roads but I decided then and there was Going to donate to get them fixed. I spent the entire ride bent over and clenching my chest where my broken ribs were being jostled around.

Once home i found that Mokuba had worked hard to get my room set up so that I would be it to work from home. He had merged my office and all but put a computer desk as my bedside table. I frowned not because I didn't appreciate the gesture but simply because it looked odd and bothered my OCD.

I flopped myself down on my bed much harder than intended and grunted out in pain. My doctor was there to give me a dose of painkillers but I pushed them away. I didn't want to pass out right now from the drowsy side effects, or ever. I couldn't handle these crazy dreams.

He frowned but otherwise kept his mouth shut, many years of working under my employment had taught him not to question his pay check.

I shifted myself uncomfortably and pushed his helping hand aside.

" you can go now. I think I have it from here." I ordered not leaving room for arguments. He bowed.

" let me know when you need a refill of the meds. Don't be afraid to take them sir, your injures are pretty severe." And with that he left the room letting himself out of the mansion. I sighed in relief and leaned against the plush pillow top of my imported bed.

Before I know it I had drifted asleep, a hazy lucid sleep. The pain keeping me on the edge of consciousness. I laid perfectly still as my toes went numb and my limbs felt like as a feather. I listened to the strange noises everyobe gears as they fall asleep and I true to fight the conpletely groggy feeling of letting go and submerging under the vail of reality and melting into the peaceful embrace of sleep. Except it wasn't peaceful, it never was. Somehow still awake enough to know I was about to watch my worst nightmares play out before me. I tried to stop it but I found myself in the thrown room of the palace. The walls were high above my head and te crystal clear sky shown above e. I sighed in content, it has been a while since I could see the stars so clearly. I was suprised to be here, this isn't usually how my nightmare started.

I could faintly hear a voice in the distancr. I could t place my finger on it but it was strikingly familiar. I walked out of te throne room through a small passage on the far back wall.

I walked for what felt like hours following after the sound of humming. It was a son that I had never heard but somehow I knew it by heart. No matter how close I thought I was getting I still never foun the person the voice was coming from.

Somewhere along the way the stone walls of the palace shifted and melded into a cave and I found myself freckling through the earth. Every once in a while I thought I caught a glimps of her hair as she swept a corner too quickly. The midnight wave bouncing as she ran. I began to run too, not caring how far I had to chance this angel.

I heard her giggle then, and I was sure that it was Kyrri I was chasing. She turned back and shot me a cheerful smirk and then kept on her way.

"Kyrri." I shouted as I tried to pick up the pace. Out of no where the floor wa gone from beneath me and I wa falling. I felt anxiety clench in my stomach as I yelled out and reached my arm up in a futile attempt to catch myself.

" Kaiba you have made it." Asked a voice from behind me as I landed I gracefully on my ass. I turned to see the dark magician girl standin behind me twirling her wand in her hands idly. My eyes widened.

" this is a dream right?" I asked sarcastically, of course I knew this was a dream except could I be sure? For so long now I had the same nightmare and this definitely wasn't it.

" I'm afraid not Kaiba, don't tell me after all this time you still don't believe in your destiny?" She asked as I stood stoic and didn't give her an answer. Of course not.

I sighed and dusted my my cloths off. I raised an eye brow when I realize I was wearing my trade mark trench coat and tight leather pants. I also noticed that I wasn't in excruciating pain from a broken leg or my busted ribs. She smirked at me but didn't give an answer.

I looked at my surroundings for the first time and noticed that I appeared to be on an old abandoned battle field that was long over free with foliage. Beautiful blue crystals jutted out of the ground everywhere and I stood before a massive cluster of them. I examined this cluster slowly as I walked around te edge. Dark magician girl left me to my thoughts as I did so.

I found a sword sticking out above my head. I looked back at her skeptically.

What is this? Am I suppose to pull it?" I asked but she shook her head sadly.

" you aren't ready Kaiba." She said with a deep frown. Her brows were knit together in frustration. What did she mean, surely if was ready I mean I at least accepted this bullshit to be the truth.

"No the beasts that are threatening our worlds is more powerful than you think and you are not the priest who was once able to battle with gods." She touché the crystal structure then and looked upon it in awe.

" how dare you try and tell me who I am and who I am not. I am Seto Kaiba, the reincarnation of the high priest who helped save the world an then ruled as king in the place of my best friend. I watched them die an blew out before me and there way nothin I could do! How can you possibly say him and I are not one and the same." I shouted my face red with anger. She smirked at me reminding me much of Mana, a friend from my past.

" it's not me you have to convince Seto, half of your soul doesn't know who they are. Or who you are for that matter. Before you can remove the sword you must save her from herself..." She smiled as she spoke but began to fade away. I reached for her, I had so many questions but she was most between my fingers.

" what the hell is that suppose to mean?" I muttered to myself, though I had a pretty good idea of what she was talking about.

Since I hadn't woken up yet, or returned to my body at the very least I decided to keep investigating this place. There were two more massive clusters of crystal all in a circle. Each had a sword stuck in it somewhere. My guess was that I wasn't the only one who was meant to see this.

I saw something glittering in the center structure. As I came closer my heart stopped, before me invaded in crystal was Kyrri, or rather someone who looked strikingly similar. I could see subtle differences. This wasn't her now and it wasn't her in Egypt either... She was dressed in what looked like it was royal attire just not Egyptian. She wasn't wearing the bracelet though. And this Kyrri had wings! I took a step back, what was going on here?

Suddenly everything began to turn black and I felt like I was spiraling downward at a rapid speed. I closed my eyes until I felt the shock oh my back hitting the soft cushion me my pillows.

My eyes shot open and I gasped for breath. Sweat trickled down my brow and I wiped my face with my clammy hands. I looked around realizing it was dark outside already. I couldn't see my clock since it looked like it had been knocked over. I also noticed a glass of water on the floor where I obviously knocked it down as well. Mokuba must have left it for me before he went to bed himself. I smiled at the thought, my baby brother taking are of me.

Jou's POV

I looked at my clock for the thousandth time that day. It wa two in the morning, and I knew that Anzu's lunch break was long over and he was back in class.

Why hadn't she called me tonight? Or yesterday night? I knew that she was bush but she ha never missed an opportunity to call me.

I frowned and decided to go to bed. Maybe she would email me while I was asleep, yea I'm sure that I will hear from her tomorrow.

I needed to visit Kyrri tomorrow and find a way to check up on Kaiba too. Stupid jerk, why did he have to go and be a hero? Giving a shit about Kaiba wasn't very high in my to do list but it looked like I had somehow manage to be stuck doing just that. I couldn't help it, I had watched the way he selflessly positioned himself below Kyrri as she tumbled towards the earth. 8 had never seen Kaiba look so determined, so focused. Not I. Any duel with yami, or even when he was facing his step father Gozoboroh in the virtual world. I saw the tears that were glistening in his eyes as he prepared his attempts to not be good enough and the pure relieve when he actually caught her and managed to save her from a becoming a pancake. How could I not give a fuck when he had acted so selflessly?

I sighed, man everything was so fucked up right now. I mean in what a week everyone's lives were upside down and it didn't seen like the wheel was going to stop spinning anytime soon.

I gave up on taking a shower, I would take one before school since I knew I had missed enough class by now. I really didn't want to take my senior year again... Again. I had to push all this craziness on the back burner. Sure I knew that Yugi and Yami an even Kaiba now had big destiny a to fulfill but I could just be your average everyday Jou right? I did t have the weight I the world resting on my shoulders did I? Then why did I feel like something was wrong and that somehow I was responsible for fixing it. I shrugged these feelings off and decided that I really needed to get some sleep.

I wished that Anzu was here with me. I knew that if he had never left we probably never would have gotten together but god I missed her so much. How coul I love someone so strongly that I had never gel in my arms before or kissed. Never been able to make love to...

I shook my head to clear those thoughts. Couldn't a guy get a break, all I wanted was to glad to sleep and stop thinking about everything for just a little while.

I fin lay force my eyes closed and my mind to slow down. I listened to the sound I my ceiling fan spinning above me and imagined I was warm in the embrace of my love. Soon I began to drift into slumber at last.

What I was hoping to be a restful sleep turned out to be awful. I kept hearing. Someone ask for help but I couldn't find her. I spent the night with these unsettling feelings and never felt relaxed in the least bit.

Kry: oh goodness that was a fun chapter to write. Not really... Oh my gosh I almost cried. Twice. But how did you guys like it? I hope I did good! Please review my loves.


	12. Chapter 12

Swing like the dunes dance like the wing pierce like the storm.

Kry: Alright my wonderful readers. Here is chapter twelve, sorry that it took so long. I had a birthday to organize but I am back to my diligent writing.

I should give a -WARNING- there will be some explicit things depicted in this chapter such as underage drug use and some really underage sex but it's not extremely explicit so it's not the worst thing ever... not your thing, please don't read.

Still looking for a dependable beta!

Unknown POV

I looked at the crystal structures that jutted haphazardly out of the earth intrigued. I knew this place, I was sure of it deep In my core but with so many memories and thoughts rushing in my head I couldn't keep it straight.

I gripped my head as it began to pound and my ears were ringing. I couldn't handle this!

I screamed in frustration and punched the extremely hard crystal structure, not sure where the rush of anger was coming from.

I pulled my hand back in shock at the pain that shot through my fingers and wrist. Wasn't I dreaming? More anger waved through me and I swung one more time for good measure.

I just wanted to fight, someone or something. I wast sure who or what but I had this ache in my chest to fight. I was So nervous and even if I couldn't explain any of these feelings I wanted to wage war if it meant I could save those I loved. But where were these feelings coming from?

"Habeto pecem houissimus Parum Deus." Soothed a voice from behind me. I somehow knew it was Latin without having to ask what was said. When I turned I found a beautiful woman standing elegantly with a pure white wolfs skin draped over her shoulder. She had long flowing silver hair an ice colored eyes that managed to somehow still seem warm.

" Latin?" I questioned raising a brow, how much weirder was this dream going to get? She smiled and showed her perfect white teeth and her yes crinkled where she had obvious laugh lines from years I happier ess.

" forgive me I often forget that my native tongue is a dead language." I nodded at her explanation though it didn't really answer any of the questions bubbling to the surface.

"Who are you?" I asked and took a step forward. She looked over the horizon just as a beautiful sunrise began to shade the sky in brilliant oranges and reds.

" ah but the better question is who are you my Parum Deus?" As she spoke she turned fully away from me and waved her arm wide over the sky. As she did the light grew stronger and the mood seemed lighter.

"Who am I?" I asked, not to see who I was but to verify that that is what she meant. She smiled at me as she maneuvered swirls of light around with her fingers. She had a goofy grin and reminded me of a child except that she was at least three inches taller than myself.

"Who am I..." I said again mostly to myself. She stopped her playing and turned to face me with a very serious look.

" Parum Deus you are more important than you know." She spoke softly but her voice was firm and commanding. I choose not to give her my input on the matter.

" why do you keep calling me small god?" I asked frustrated by her riddles. I balled my fists and gritted my teeth.

" because you are the Houissimus Parum Deus, the last little god to walk with the humans." She stated simply a if a three year old should know such trivial facts. This made me even more angry and without thinking I lunged at her, if this was my dream then I was going to win control.

" anger should never be your first defense." She scolded as she slid to the left and dodged my attack fluidly. She still looked serene though I could see the tight line of her lips and the disapproval in her eyes. For some reason this quieted me, I felt like a child who was just reprimanded for stealing a cookie.

" I am not some god, I barely pass as a decent human being how can I be some god. Lady you have no idea what your talking about!" I shouted and threw my hands up dramatically. She just watched me and I got the sense that I was throwing a tantrum that wasn't nessisary but that just pusses me off even more.

" you are so much more than you know" she whispered looking grim and with that she started to fade away and the light went with her. I frowned and kicked a rock pouting my lips.

" lotta good she was. Crazy bitch." I muttered and began to walk again. I wondered when I was going to see my next vision as my legs became sore an I fell through the floor. When I opened my eyes I was in my room at the palace.

" NOO damn it haven't we been through this a thousand times already? I am not teaching you to fight and that's the end of it." The shouting voice happened so suddenly that I yelled and lost my balance falling on the hard stone surface.

Luckily i was little more than a ghost here and i wasn't heard. I watched as the scene unfolded before me.

They were fighting, I mean we were fighting... I watched as my former self stood with anger in her ruby eyes and tears brimming to be released. He stood tall with his back straight as he frowned as he yelled at me. This memory struck a cord inside me.

" you don't get to decide what I do with my life 'priest'." I shouted back, even now I could taste how awful those words were when I said them. His eyebrows shot up and then his whole face fell. He turned from my clone and pinched the bridge of his nose. From where I was standing in the corner of the room I had a clear shot of his tortured face. He was pale and obviously distraught over the though of me learning how to defend myself.

The other me reached out to touch him, already regretting her harsh words but then dropped her had as he swiftly turned around with an icy glare.

" of course not princess... Your brother on the other hand however does dictate your life. I'm sure he will see things my way." He spat and strode away, she was lost for words but anger still evident in her clenched fists and grimace. She had hurt him with her words so he had hurt her.

"Fine! Leave an don't come back you unbelievable ass!" She shouted back at him as she slammed the door to her bed chambers.

This was a bitter sweet fight. One of the first of many between us, I could still remember spending that first night alone. And then the next day...

Everything shifted an it was day time again. This memory was different, I was I control of myself as I relived it. I ran as quickly as I could with my red cloak pulled tightly around my face. I kept the tears from my eyes, refusing to cry anymore than I already had.

I made it over the palace walls an through the city without being caught, this was not my first time leaving the sanctity of my home and it wouldn't be the last. I was an expert at avoiding gaurds.

I ran past the giant chasm that gaped like an ugly mouth in the ground and then past the beautiful oasis that laid beyond the city walls. It took me all day but I finally reached my destination. A small worn down hut that looked to be abandoned but I knew better.

I pulled up the cloth that served as a make gift door and walked inside to see that it was actually empty. I walked around a bit, upset that it looked like my friend had left without saying goodbye to me.

Suddenly there was a knife at my throat and I froze. The other hand of my capture was thrown over my eyes.

" think before you act." I cautioned, I might not be able to fight but I had my bracelet and I could at least defend myself using my magic. My capture chuckled and pulled the knife away. I Smiled and whirled around sure that this was who I was looking for.

"Kura! I thought that you left without saying goodbye!" I threw my arms around him and smiled brightly. He huffed but returned my affections. I could feel his toned bare chest between my thin cloth dress and I blushed and awkwardly pulled back. We were both much older than the last time we had seen each other.

A small wave of guilt washed over me as Seth came to my mind but then I remembered why I was here in the first place.

" I'm just changing locations princess. I would sneak to your window and let you know anyways." He smirked and I blushed again.

"I was just a girl then I hardly think it would be appropriate for you to do as such." I glared and he laughed and pulled the cloth door cover up to let me back outside. I smiled at his chivalry and lowered my hood and squeegee at the blaring sun.

"So what brings you out of the comfort of the palace?" He asked an I pretended not to notice the way he said palace. Like it was such a horrible place, but I frowned as I thought back to just how much of my childhood I spent wanting to be away front he palace.

" I need you to teach me to fight Bakura." I said and made a fist out in front of myself. He smiled a wickedly delightful smile and made a fist of his own and nudged out knuckles together. I smiled as out training began.

Time shifted slightly and I was outside of my body again, a bystander and Bakura kicked his foot out and knocked the other me down.

" keep you stance wide!" He shouted and I threw myself back I to my feet. I took care to widen my feet apart this time and I swung the cheep sword that my teacher was having me use. Yes I said teacher, he had demanded shch. He dodged my swing by shifting to the left quickly. He had his sword to my throat before I could link.

" keep your body lowered." He hissed in my ear a he pushed me forward and twirled away from me. I lowered myself down more.

" I'm trying!" I shouted and ran forward once more. He met me head on and the loud crash as our swords clashed together and vibrated beneath our hands. I smirked and swung again full force. He grunted and dodged me again as I lost my balance.

He held out a hand to help me up but I pushed it away an wipe the seat from my brow as I stood on shaking ankles.

" as your moving forwards balance is the key Kyrri." He scolded as he Perried around me expeticly. I growled in frustration and kept trying to hack at him. I pushed my hair out of my face and looked at the sand beneath me as I thought of a game plan.

" Keep your eyes on me!" He shouted and his voice resonated as I blocked an attack from his sword.

" right foot... Left foot..." I muttered to myself as I gracefully move around my friend. The more days we spent practicing the better I got. It hadn't taken me long to stop feeling guilty about running away. But I had kept myself from thinking about my home while I forced myself through the rigorous training.

Bakura lunged forward with his blade and I missed the block. My eyes widened as his blade gently ran over the smooth my my cheek. He stood perfectly still shocked as well. Then without warning he dropped his sword and looked away to hide his face.

I reached up and touched the blood that dropped down my face.

" pick up your sword Bakura."I demanded boldly and He looked back at me with doubt in his eyes. I gave him a pleading look and hoped he understood that this was okay. I had to learn how to defend the people I loved. I promised myself I wouldn't return home until I could.

We kept at it like the for another three weeks totaling in a month I spent away from the capital and my brother and future husband. I had kept this information from Bakura, I never wanted to talk to him about such mushy stuff.

" deep down I know that I'm just a princess, but that doesn't mean I'm not prepare to fight!" I vowed to myself as I stood alone under the stars, I looked up and found mothers star. My heart squeezed and I gripped the fabric of my dress. Bakura appeared beside me an placed a hand on my shoulder.

" you have been so distant the last few days... I think you have learned enough to go back home now if that's what you want." He whispered and looked away. He was awful at keeping eye contact when he felt uncomfortable.

" are you trying to tell me I need to leave?" I asked coyly and punched him in the arm. He assured me I was welcome with him anytime. We stood in silence for a moment just taking in the beauty of the crystal clear night sky.

" it's about that boy isn't it?" He asked suddenly, his eyes were dark and his mood had completely shifted. That boy? Had I ever even mentioned Seth to him had I?

" Seth?" I asked though it wasn't really a question. He continues to glare out at the blackened night sky.

"Yes yes the silly little priest who flaunts himself around looking oh so mighty all the time..." He scoffed and I wondered how much time he spent at the capital to know so much.

"Are you jealous?" I squeaked and grew completely still. He blushed and scooted away. I frowned, oh my god! He loves me. I knew then that I had to leave. I couldn't break his heart by leading him on any further, he had always been my friend. Always would be, but that was all he would ever be. I loved Seth, who was back at the palace all alone right now because I had been a coward and ran away. Sure I did it for a good reason, but I could have just forced him to deal with the situation.

" I'm sorry Kura I didn't mean to... I mean... Damn it I have to go!" I shouted and ran off, he didn't try to follow me or shout my name and I didn't look back.

Standing to the side of this memory I could see as he hid his face in his hands and his shoulders shook, but the memory faded and I found myself standing at the palace gates.

I walked to the guard who was standing duty and smiled at him kindly. His eyes grew wide as saucers and he bowed before me.

" lady Kyrri, by the power of the gods it's a miracle! We all assumed you were dead and feared that your soul would never make it to the afterlife." He muttered out as his face touched the warm grainy sand beneath our feet.

"Nope I am very much alive." I sighed as I pulled him up to his feet by his elbow. I hated these displays of respect. I hated being a princess but I realized that I needed to go home.

" the pharaoh will be so happy to see you. He has been quite distraught since your disappearance." He told me as he bagan leading me back into the palace.

As we passed Mahado he gasped an grabbed my shoulders.

"My word you're alive!" He proclaimed with a huge grin I rolled my eyes, did everyone think I was dead? Does no one have faith that I could take care of myself.

" priest Seth will be so happy that you are alive and well! He has locked himself in his bed chambers and refused to come out, and the pharaoh is in much the same condition." I frowned and clenched my fists in anger at myself. What an idiot I am...

I had been brought to Atem then and he had hugged me senseless and demanded the truth about where I had been and why I had left. He listened to my excuses and though he was dissapointed in me from running from my problems he was happy to have me home and he promised me that he would arrange for me to have sword lessons. He had begged me not to fight with Seth anymore and expressed his concern.

Now several hours later and far into the morning hours of the night I stood outside of Seth's chambers. A lump was in my throat and I hesitated as I reached for the door knob.

Taking a big breath I swallowed and pushed my long, freshly brushed locks out of my face and opened the door.

He didn't look up, he laid on his bed turned away from the door and a darkness was visible in the room. I took ten timid steps the through the room and stopped in front of his bed.

He was disheved, his hair a mess and his robes were wrinkled and twisted up. He was pale and his skin was clammy looking.

" Seth." I tried gently as I touched his shoulder. He didn't move and my heart started pounding. I shook his shoulder a little harder and lowered myself down to sit next to his curled up form on the mattress.

He looked up at me then and I felt ashamed to have ever forgotten this horrible moment in my past. His eyes were hollow and bags rested under them. The beautiful cerulean color of his eyes were faded and he looked like he hadn't slept the whole time I was gone.

I gasped and felt tears immediately race down my cheeks and slide into my lap. His eyes widened slightly and he reached a hand out slowly but before he touched me he dropped the appendage and looked away from me in devestation.

" you're alive." He said slowly as if he couldn't proses this information. I smiled at him and nodded my head. Tears fell from his eyes as he tried to scoot himself away from me.

" then... Then that means... Means that you have been alive all this... This time... And have chosen... To let me think you were dead..." He gasped out between heart wrenching sobs and my heart broke into a thousand pieces. I reached for him and stroked his hair from his face as he cried for the pain I had put him through.

" no Seth I didn't know you thought I was dead. I didn't mean for it to be this way...but you refused to let me learn fight for myself and you don't even understand why I wanted to... I love you. More than anything and I know one day I am going to have to protect you whether you may want me to or not. One day everything will be on my shoulders and I need to be ready for when that day comes... It's not that I don't trust you to protect me. It's that I need to know I could do the same." I admitted through my own tears. He gave no indication that he accepted my apology but he reached up and held my face between his warm smooth fingers. I sighed and remembered how good it felt to be touched by him.

I smiled and sighed but he still looked miserable. I tried to scoot closer but he dropped his hand from my face and turned his head from me.

"Seth whats wrong,I've missed you so much." I admitted softy and pulled in my bracelets charms out of habit. His face scrunched up and he took a deep breath before he spoke.

" go to your room princess." He said sounding like he had suddenly aged many years ahead of me.

"What?" I asked sadly, I really had missed him. Didn't he understand why this was so important to me.

" I said I want you to leave." He repeated and his eyes became cold and hard. I swallowed nervously and shifted away but refused to leave him. I shook my head in rebellion. This made him angry and he lost his cool temperament. He lunged from the bed at an alarming speed given his physical appearance and began to pace the floor in front of me.

" I won't repeat this princess, I am not going to waist my time on a child. If you can't be adult enough to understand when you've made a mistake... When you hurt someone that cares about you, and apologize then... Then I don't know if I can make this work." He began his speech unrated but slowly as the words left his mouth his face softened into a deep despair. As he closed his mouth his eyes widened an his head shot up, eyes searching as he gauged my reaction.

I could have yelled and fought back with him, or I could have left the room indignantly like I probably would have if what he said hadn't struck such a chord in me. Sure I had Nobel reasons for wanting to learn to use a sword so badly, but at the end of the day it wasn't really suppose to be all my decision was it? I mean sure I am te princess and I am in charge of a lot of say in my life thanks to Yami being so lenient with me but that was all about to change, I had hurt my brother. I had hurt the love of my life so much e wanted to stop courting me... I ha even left my best friend without any explanation after he practically admired that he had feelings for me, and I didn't even say thank you for all his hard work teaching me to fight.

Realization hit me like a ton of granite from the quarry and I gasped out and threw my hands over my mouth in disgust. No matter my reasons I had acted selfishly. I have always acted selfishly... My whole life I had ran away from my problems leaving Atem to rule this country conpletely alone. I had barely paid attention when being taught how to use the magic inside me as it was so much different than everyobe else's around me. I had assumed that Seth would always be a fixture in my life forever, never once thinking I could drive him away. Oh god I drove him away...

Tears pored down my face and I leaned over pulling my arms tightly around torso and I let the wicked sobs rage through my like a sand storm. After a moment I felt Seth's hand gently start to rub comforting circles on the small of my back.

" I'm so sorry Seth, my love. I have treated you horribly! I have always treated YY horribly... I wish I had died so you wouldn't have to be burdened by my mistakes..." I admitted through my cried. His arms were aroun me then, and he pulled me up and twisted us around until I was basically eing cradled in his lap with my was softly resting on his braid shoulder. His arms wrapped around me tightly and he blew out a peaceful breath.

"I forgive you." He whispered quietly and began to run his fingers through my hair earning a purr of delight out of me.

" I want your word that you won't ever leave me again though. I need to hear you say it, I need to know that I am enough for you Kyrri." His face was slightly blushed as he said the lady part and he brushed a stray strand of hair clear of my eyes and just looked at me with the pure adoration.

" you're more than I deserve." I breathed out as I leaned inches from his face. I could hear his heats beat speeding up a he let me kiss him softly but with all the passion I had held back for him. It wasn't long before he pulled me up until I was straddling his lap all without breaking contact with our kiss. His hands roamed my body with a wild hunger and he plunged his toungue I to my mouth. He tasted of cinnamon and I moaned into his parted lips.

He pulled back from me and rested out four heads together while looking deeply into my eyes.

" I love you." He said a he cupped my face. I smiled and gave him one quick peck on his swollen lips.

"And I you Seth, for all of eternity." I vowed and then leaned forward and ravished his mouth with more sweet kisses.

Somewhere in the passion of yearning for his touch for a whole month gave me the courage to unload my whole heart to him. We spent the whole night goon back from talking to showing each other with affection and when the sun rose he had given me the best gift possible, himself.

The memory didn't fade for some time and I watched as I fell asleep in his arms, entangled in his soul. We were one in that moment and my heart fell apart As I longed for him to be with me now.

I stood in a clearing then. With flowers everywhere. I sighed as I leaned back against the ground. This was a place of my own. My place of peace, where I would imagine myself to be when things were their darkest.

Why would I be here? Wasn't this about me remembering my past, or was it about accepting my past. What would it mean to accept my past?

I guess it would mean that my boss was my ex lover and my brother was a friend at my high school and my best friend some how managed to end up in the mix too... I mean what are the chances? Astronomical surely... But somehow here I was actually believing this garbage...

" that is exactly what's stopping you from believing in this... In us... You assume that miracles can't happen." Whispered a soft voice from behind me. My eyes widened in pure shock and I spun around quickly to look at my company.

Seth's cerulean eyes were soft but at the same time thay seeme to demand somethig Of me. He was wearing normal clothes or as normal as it got with him and I realized with some excitement that this was Seto and not Seth. But then I registered his words and lowered my gaze.

" miracles can't happen to me." I defended sadly and looked away. There was no way that this could be true, I just wasn't that lucky. Even if it was true as somehow we were all magically reincarnated for some higher purpose it's not like it would matter...

Of course it wouldn't matter, I couldn't escape the life inlived. My father was a cruel individual but he was my father an I had to obey him. If I didn't... I dint even want to think about what he would do to me if I tried to have friends or produce a romantic relationship.

It would never work, you have to e honest to love someone and I could never be honest about this. If someone found out just what a price of trash I really am they would leave me for sure. Seto would leave me when he found out who I really was so why should I even try. Better to force one self to solitude than to end up being rejected by someone you love. I was no good for Seth... Seto... Mr. Kaiba or whatever I was suppose to call him.

By the time I grew the balls to look back at him He had faded and the beautiful scene changed and everything was dark. But I could hear beeping. I could hear the shuffling as someone moved things around me, and I knew that I was somehow more awake than I was before. Lost between my lucid thoughts and the weight of sleep that was forcing it self on me.

Bakura's POV

I opened Kyrri's door quietly to avoid the annoying squeak that it gave when swung open. She laid quietly on her hospital bed just as I had expected her to be and I smiled. At least this was dependable when everything else was in chaos.

I pulled a chair up to the edge of her bed and I took her small warm hand In My own. She shifted and squeezed my hand back and I smiled and hope for her to wake up. I needed her, I needed someone in My corner. I couldn't deal with this alone. I wasn't a good person, I couldn't remember the last time I ha been and in the last week I have had to reevaluate everything I once believed all while secretly loosing what was most important.

A sob worked it's way free from my lungs an I lost my control.

" I lost him. I did the one thing I swore I would never let happen. I let Zork get his claws on another perfect soul and now Ryou is going to suffer... And there isn't a god damn thing I can do to stop it... I... I... I don't know what to do." I cried Out desperately and kept my head low. Of course she didn't budge any more from her first response.

"When you killed yourself to stop Zork and I realized the consequence of my actions it broke me apart. Damn when I was a kid I idolized you, I loved you but I watched you grow up In to the light you belonged in and I wallowed in the darkness until I let it completely take me over... I never got to tell you I was sorry... But I suffered for my sins... Every moment of all eternity it seemed he torture me for failing his plans to destroy the light." I gripped her hand harder and wiped tear after tear as more fell to take their places.

" I spent five thousand years with that monster until I was nothing but a puppet. But then Ryou found the ring and everythig changed. I swore to do Zork's bidding if he left Ryou out of it. To protect him... But it's too late now." I swallowed and brushed my bangs from my face.

" Ryou gave himself up. He did it for me, low life dirty thieving son of a bitch like myself doesn't deserve such kindness... I don't deserve his sacrifice and I don't know how to save him... I don't even know how to be a good person..." I admitted with venom in my voice and I glared at the wall in front of me. She grunted in her sleep and I looked down surprised to find her brows were crinkled up.

" nurse!" I shouted out of the open door but remains seated a she death squeezed my hand so tightly I had to pry my hand from her grip.

" Seth!" She shouted as her eyes shot open but it came out as a raspy whisper. I frowned at the fact that he was her first thought but decided to let it slide. After all I knew she really cared for the stupid prick, and I had long since decided that her an I weren't meant to be together.

" Kyrri?" I asked timidly and she noticed me for the first time. Recognition flashed over her eyes and then she paused and her eyes grew huge as she really recognized me.

" Kura you got so pale." She smirked and rested her hear back. She still seemed extremely loopy as her eyes struggled to stay open. The nurse came in then and gasped rushing forward.

" my goodness your awake! How are you feeling my dear?" She said as she placed an arm cuff vet her arm to take her blood pressure.

Kyrri shrugged and muttered that her head hurt. And the nurse went through explaining what had happened and about the surgery. She listened to all the information until the nurse left the room. She was placed on as strict liquid only diet and told she would need to stay for a few more days to monitor her condition.

Once the nurse left the room she rounded in on me. I spent the next hour and a half answering all kinds of crazy questions about who Ryou was and how I shared his body and where Atem was. I answered all her questions diligently glad to have he awake and thrilled that she remembered. But I took notice to the fact that she didn't ask one thing about Kaiba.

" do you remember the day I asked you to teach me to fight with a sword?" She asked out of the blue, we had just been talking about duel monsters cards after all. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. Somehow this was a memory that was hard for me to deal with.

" I never said thank you. Instead I ran away like a scared kid, then I never returned and somehow I feel like that's why you..." What ever she wa about to say she stopped and closed her eyes. I could see the worry evident on her soft features. I knew what she had meant, she was blaming herself that I had chosen the path of darkness.

" stop." I muttered and looked her dead in the eye as her long lashes fluttered back open and her crimson rods pierced into my gaze questionably.

" dot ever for even a second think that I did what I did because of you. I was stupid, so incredibly ignorant but i was also in pain. A kind of pain you could never have fixed, you know as well as I do the there wa always a hole in my heart. I ha though power could fill that hole but I was so wrong... Please just don't blame yourself for something that was all my fault." I made sure I kept eye contact the whole time and didn't lower my gaze until she nodded meekly at me but I knew he understood.

After that the conversation got calm again and she started asking me questions about Ryou z I answered them all honestly and when I looked back at the clock j realized I had been here for about three hours and I still hadn't told the others that se was awake.

She grew sad quickly an quieted her chatter. I knew that this must be what was wrong with her.

" I can call the Pharoah and let him know you are awake. I'm sure he can tell the priest as well." I said after a had stood up. It was time for her to take her pain meds and the nurse had brought her some chicken broth to drink. She turned pale and pushed the broth away.

"No please I'm sure Atem will come today I want to suprise him...and I'm not ready to face Kaiba yet." She admitted sheepishly. I frowned, what would she avoid the priest for anyways but i decided to abide by her wishes.

" get some sleep you need it kid." I said as I squeezed her hand gently. She beamed up at me and made me promise I would visit tomorrow.

I wished her farewell and returned back to Ryou's small apartment. I laid on his bed and pulled his pillow I to my arms as wished that I could turn back time. Nothing felt right anymore.

Mokuba's POV

I walked around the living room sadly. Seto had come home yesterday but he had immediately fallen asleep and refused to wake up when I got home from school. I had wanted to tell him how my first day as a high schooler had went but when I saw him looking fevered and tossing his head back and fourth in his sleep I had been woried. I left him a glass of water and let him rest.

My first day as it turns out was really uneventful if you leave out the part where a bunch of bullies rounded in on me for being thirteen.

I had expected to have people there I knew, Yugi and Jou and Ryou but everyone was going crazy over this new girl. Even my level headed cold hearted brother was acting strange.

I realized how much I didn't like it, change that is. I had grown use to Seto only being kind to me, I liked to be the one who knew people while he knew facts.

I had been so excited to go to high school, that I was smart enough to pass the exams so young and that j could follow in Seto's footsteps. But after a long day being teased by high schoolers about being a smart ass baby... I wasn't even sure if I wanted to go back.

I lounged on the couch for a while and flicked through channels. There was never anything worth watching, so I settled for making some lunch instead.

I made two turkey sandwiches and two glasses of milk and balanced them precariously on my arms as I walked up the many stairs tht seperated me from Seto's room.

When I finally made it down the hall I nudged his door open lightly with my foot. I was about to smile and walk in with my goofiest grin, wanting nothing more than to spend the afternoon cheering Seto up.

" it felt so real Yami!" Seto cried out, his breathing was ragged and from where I could see the side of his face he was covered in sweat. What was wrong and why hadn't he tried to console his problems in me like before.

" I could always just see her as she ran away, but no matter how far I ran I could never reach her. I kept falling through these memories and then I ran I to the dark magician girl!" He said as he threw his one good arm out in exasperation. I rolled my eyes, what the hell were they talking about?

" I don't know, I don't know why she was there or why I'm not ready to pull the sword. I don't even know why I lost my cool like this.. It's just... Damn it I need her, and... I can't do a damn thing to help her..." He broke down then and I backed away in shock, how had some high school girl affect my brother like this? Why wouldn't Seto talk to me about this? Why wasn't he even slightly concerned with how my life was going?

I stomped down the hall and down the stairs. I chunked both cups into the sink as soon a I entered the kitchen and threw Seto's plate down across the counter. The sandwich flew apart and the plate cracked in half but I rolled my eyes and took a huge bite out of my own sandwich. I left the mess and paced around the room in anger. I had to get out of here!

I walked out of the house and made a point to slam the door as loud as I could. I had to get out of this place, I always hated the stuffy old mansion anyways. Maybe since Seto didn't care what i did anymore I could convince him to let me stay at the beach house. He never used the place anyways.

Thinking of the ocean had me walking to the pier before I even knew that was where I wanted to go. It took me an hour on foot but finally I made it. I rested my elbows on the wooden guard rail and watched the waves role in and out. I blew a rebellious lock I my hair away and sighed. Even watching the beach wasn't calming me down.

What was I so angry about? it didn't even make sence to me and I was the angry one.

So first of all Seto had a girl friend now I guess. At least it looked that way, but why did that make me angry? After all I was always harping him about his social life or lack there of.

Secondly he was suddenly being super friendly. Social perhaps not but it was like the ice I was used to coating his exterior like a shield was gone. So he was finally being nice, at least a little but this again was somethig I pestered him about constantly.

So what was it then? Was it that he wasn't paying enough attention to me because that never seemed to bother me before when he was ignoring me for Kaiba corp. was it that he was paying attention to another person. Other than myself? I shook my head that couldn't be it.

" hey short stuff! Can you toss me my jacket sack?" Shouted a voice from down below. I looked to see a shaggy beach bum in a pair of blue swimming trunks and no shirt. He was somewhere around Seto's age and had long tangled blond hair that almost covered his grey eyes. I glared down at him.

" who the hell are you calling short stuff you punk?" I barked and narrowed my eyes even further at him. He laughed and reached behind his head nervousy, he kind of reminds me of Jou.

"Hey no harm little dude I wasn't trying to piss ya off just trying to get my hacks back." He pleaded and gave me some pretty convincing puppy eyes. I kicked the little balm at my feet so it would fall down to his level and turned to leave.

"Hey wait!" He shouted and I turned to glance at him uncaring. He smiled and began to bounce the little sack with his feet and even his elbow.

"You wanna come down and chill for a bit. I got my girl and a couple friends hanging by a sweet Bon fire just around the way. You know if you want to." He asked but he didn't seem like he was just offering to be nice.

" why would you want to hang out with a kid like me?" I questioned incredulously. He smiled again and shrugged his shoulders.

"Why the hell not. You only live once, age is just a number." He suggested and urged me forward with his eyes. Age is just a number... I liked that.

" alright I'm in!" I said excitedly and jumped over the side of the railing.

He led me around a large group of rocks and boulders and I saw a van that was painted in the dye and had a mustache painted on the front. There was a group of four people all gathered around a fire just like he had said.

"Hey guys look I found a stray!" He said excitedly an I raised my brow in confusion but it quickly passed as all of his friends jumped up to meet me. They were all older than myself but one girl was at least closer to my age than the others. She had long red hair that shone with a copper glimmer in the sunlight and she wore a green bikini that complimented her bright green eyes.

" my name is Alyssa." She said as she stuck her hand out. I noticed she had braces and freckles but somehow it was enderaring and made he look cute.

The next person to introduce themselves was a guy named Chris, he was Alyssa's older brother. They were from America.

Then there was Misiku who was a college student at a local college an Mitch, the blond who had invited me into the group.

Maybe new friends was just what I needed. Forget Seto and his crazy problems and just worry about myself for once. Yea that sounded nice and so my night began as we all watched the sun set together and toasted to some soda in little red solo cups.

Not long later I felt strange, my vision was blurry and I could t walk a straight line. But I didn't feel like I was in danger at all, everyone still seemed nice so I just found a seat and leaned back. Alyssa had her iPod hooked up to a Bluetooth speaker and we all listened to the music as we cauried on casual conversation.

When another drink was handed to me I took it even though in my right mind I knew at this point it was alcohol and that Seto would be livid with me if he ever found out. I looked at my phone and realized with a start it was after two in the morning! No phone calls, no crazy worried texts demanding to know where I was and who I was with... Did he really not care at all anymore?

" hey little dude what's eating you?" Mitch asked as he stopped kissing Mikasa and turned to face me.

" it's nothing." I defended as my face went red. He smiled knowingly and leaned in real close.

" you know what helps with nothing right kid?" He whispered and quirkier an eyebrow at me. I felt myself wobble a bit and leaned closer to hear his advice.

" hey Alyssa, why don't you take Mokuba here into the van and show him how to loosen up." Mitch shouted at her from across the fire she smiled a sultry kind of smile and I shook my head. What was happening?

" don't worry babe I'll show you." She smirked and I found my feet betraying as I let her pull me to the colorful van. She pulled the door open and gently pushed me back into the door. When she crawled in behind me she shut the door.

" what's.. What's going on?" I asked through a deunken chuckle. She grined and began to fiddle with my belt. I may knit be thirteen and I may defiantly be drunk but I knew a thing or two and I also knew where this was leading. I placed mh hands on her shoulders in caution.

" I'm just a kid a Ally. I've never..." I sputtered and she rolled her eyes. She leaned down an kisse me hard on the mouth and at first I tried to resist her advances but the sweetness of her smell and the softness of her hands as she pushe up my shirt exposing the flesh of my chest was electrifying and I have in to the amazing sensations she was causing me to feel.

I hadn't realized she had removed my pants until she dropped her bikini bottoms and was on top of me. I gasped out in pure pleasure and she rocked her hips slowly. I had no idea what to do but it didn't matter because she did all the work and soon I was a mess of pleasure inside her.

" how was that Moki?" He asked with her delightfully tender voice. I didn't even pay any mind to the use of my hated nick it didn't matter that I was only thirteen with this girl laying in my arms I had never felt more adult. I twirled a lock of her hair in my hands.

"Mmmh not that I'm complaining but where did that come from. I just met you." I asked and she chuckled.

" ah I don't know what ever Mitch wants he gets. But at least you were good." She said as she leaned up and I missed the contact of her skin.

" besides what a good roll without a good lay?" She smirked as she began putting her swimsuit back on.

" what do you mean?" I asked, I didn't understand what she meant at all and I didn't like how casual she acted about something that to me felt unique and beautiful, if you forgive my sappy poetic thoughts.

" extacy." She grinned and I felt my stomach drop,. Getting drunk was one thing, Seto could probably deal with that but drugs, he would have a hernia.

" oh my god I have to go!" I shouted as I scrambled to out y cloths back on. What the hell had I done, I just lost my virginity to some girl I just met after I was drugged. Holy shy I was in so much trouble! I had to get home it was so late and Seto was going to kill me.

"Moki wait! I really like you, why don't you come back sometime?" She asked with a wink and swing her hips back and forth as she walked away. I made it maybe twenty feet away before my phone rang and I gulped as I saw the caller ID.

" he..hello?" I stuttered in fear. Seto shifted in the background of the phone and I waited for the yelling to start.

" Mokuba, after school tomorrow can you stop by Kaiba corp and grab my brief case I think I may have left it there the other day before the accident." He asked sounding like he was back to business after his break down this agternoon.

" okay...sure. Is that all?" I questioned as I stopped walking. Was he really not worried about me at all, did he even know I wasn't at home? Had he really called me just for that at two in the morning...

"Yes, I've got to go I'm in the middle of reports for work." And with that he hung up. I stood there for a minute and thought about it. He really didn't care any more. He was loosing interest in me all together. I was loosing y big brother the knuckles person when was ever really there for me. I whirled around with angry tears in my eyes and stormed back to the troop of delinquents.

" I want to get fucked up." I said sternly and looked right at Mitch. He smiled as if he knew this would happen and told me to have a seat. Some way some how I had to ease this pain in my chest. I had to numb my sorrow, and this seemed like as good a way a any to do so.

Kry: yes that's the end guys. What a horrible cliffy for me to leave you with and poor Mokuba getting all corrupted by these awful teenagers. Expect some dark deep things from him in coming chapters. So is anyone excited that Kyrri is awake at long last or that she remembers who she is? Le me know in the moments please and thank you


	13. Chapter 13

Kry: so so sorry about the long wait. I don't own YuGiOh sadly and I'll just jump right to the story since you guys had to wait for so long for it to come out.

Still in new of a good beta/co-writer to help how editing errors and whatnot.

Yami's POV

I checked the clock on Yugi's phone as I walked through the doors of the hospital, it was 9am. I ran past the desk nodding at the nurse as I passed. I was anxious to see my sister, since I hadn't visited yesterday due to everything dealing with Bakura and then whatever was wrong with yugi.

As I opened her door I expected to see Kyrri still asleep but instead I found her sitting up and leaning over a notepad with several pencils. She didn't notice me enter the room so for a moment I just watched her draw and even from the door I could see she was drawing a dragon. A blue eyes white dragon to be exact. I smiled and cleared my throat to gain her attention.

She jumped and shot her blood red eyes up to meet mine and her face broke out into a brilliant smile as she dropped her pencil.

"Atem!" She cried and I immediately sat next to her on the bed and wrapped my arms around her, so happy that she had her memories back.

"Ah it's Yami now." I corrected and she nodded. Her hair was pushed back and matted under the bandages wrapped around her skull.

" I'm surprised you're awake. You hit you're head pretty hard." I spoke softly as she continued to smile away like she had never been this happy.

" Bakura told me that it was Kaiba who saved me." She stated loosing her smile and looking away. I frowned, the tomb raider had known that she was awake and not told me?

"Yes I believe if he hadn't been so quick to react then you would not have survived the fall. You should see him though, you got it easy." I said raising my brow as she jerked around with guilty tears, she sure was a roller coaster of emotions today.

"Oh Ra he's hurt?" She asked grabbing my hand and squeezing it. I nodded.

"he broke his leg and dislocated his shoulder, he also got some pretty bad road burn on his back from skidding across the pavement and I think he may have broken a rib." I answered quickly expecting her wave of guilt over him getting hurt.

"Is he okay?" She finally asked in a quiet voice. I nodded and smiled reassuringly at her.

"Seto is tough, he discharged from the hospital yesterday. After all he does have a little brother to raise and a company to run." I said smirking. She shook her head.

"He has a brother?" She asked suprised. I nodded and began to tell her all about Mokuba, and when she asked I explained that technically the Kaiba boys were orphans who had been adopted by the previous owner of Kaiba corp. I didn't give her any of the dark details of his past, those could wait for a later day or perhaps Seto should be the One to tell her himself.

"What about you Yami? Do you have any family? I mean I think I'm aware that there's someone else within you. Looking back I could tell when the two of you would switch back and forth." She asked as she shuffled all of her things into the table beside her bed and leaned back so that she could rest.

"besides Yugi I don't suppose I have any family here. I wasn't reborn like you and Seto, I was trapped inside the puzzle for five thousand years until Yugi was able to solve it." I explained and noticed how sad she got at my explanation. She reached a hand out and intertwined our fingers.

"You have me now too." Her voice was growing hoarse and I could tell she was tired. I smiled filling my heart swell at her proclimation.

"We have each other." I promised and she closed her eyes growing quiet. I watched her until she fell asleep, her brow unknitted and her face relaxed allowing me to see how stressed she was when her gaurd was up.

Yugi's phone started to vibrate in my pocket so I kissed her four head and stepped out of the room as I answered it.

"Yami I need you to come to the mansion." Seto asked from the other aide of the device Sounding anxious.

"what's wrong?" I asked as I started walking down the hallway and out of the hospital.

"I woke up and the rod was with me on the bed." He answered casually. This caught my interest seeing as how Isis had only just told me yesterday that she would bring the rod with her on her trip.

"How is that possible? Isis has the rod." I said and started to walk towards the Kaiba mansion. It was about an hour walk since it was in the outskirts of Domino.

"I don't know, last night I dreamed that I spoke to her in the shadow realm and I had it with me then and when I woke up it was in my hand." He explained in his typical monotone voice.

"I'll call Isis, I'm on my way to your house now from the hospital. Oh! Kyrri is awake." I remembered and heard him gasp from the other line.

"She shouldn't be awake yet! Is she okay?" He rushed worried clearly evident in the tone of his voice. I chuckled.

"The nurse was thoroughly suprised that she was awake but everything seemed to go okay. She's a fast healer, perhaps even because of her natural talents." I speculated mentioning how she used to be adapt in light and healing magics in the past.

"Maybe. Don't worry about walking I'll send a limo. Have you seen Mokuba he never came home last night?" I stopped walking glad since it was extremely humidtoday and realized I was at the pier, the halfway point between the hospital and the Kaiba mansion. I was suprised to see the familiar head of black hair at the far end of the pier facing the ocean.

"Yea he's at the pier, I just saw him. I'll wait here for the ride and I'll see what up with him okay." I said as I started to hang up, I heard him grunt in response before the line went dead.

"Hey kid." I said as I nudged his side and stood next to him, he cast me a nervous look from under his thick hair but otherwise made no move to greet my arival. He looked awful, obviously he had been out all night, his cloths were wrinkled and his hair was a mess.

"Seto is worried about you." I began and watched as he jumped at my words.

"Like hell he is." He spat and glared at the horizon. The sky was starting to grow grey and dark as storm clouds gathered over head. I saw the dark circles under his eyes and pressed a concerned hand on his shoulder. He was hot to the touch even through his shirt.

"What makes a person bad?" He asked suddenly and I opened my mouth to answer but found I didn't know what to say exactly. I wondered what was bothering the youth besides his brothers current broken state. He shook his head and hid his face from me quickly. When his hair shifted I noticed a small purplish love bite on his neck and forgot his odd question conpletely as I reached out and moved his wild tresses to see the marred skin better.

"What the hell man!" He shouted and grabbed his neck and backed away. I lowered my hands in silent apology.

"I realize it's not my place to tell you this but Mokuba you're only thirteen years old and we both know that" I pointed to the hicky. "Is not appropriate. What would your brother say?" I asked shaking my head, kids these days. His brother is home with several broken bones and he's out chasing tail like a love sick dog.

"Don't tell Seto." He begged looking down an I saw tears slip down his pale cheeks. Perhaps it wasn't as I had though, he seems pretty shaken after all.

"Did something happen Mokuba? Are you okay?" I asked and moved forward closer to him.

"No. I don't know. How is it any of your buisness anyways?" He shouted and stalked away. I grabbed his wrist to stop him and whirled him around.

"When did you get so bratty. Don't you realize that Seto needs you now?" I sneered at him my patience wearing thin. I was never good with kids.

"He has never needed me once in his whole life why would that change now?" He screamed and just then the limo pulled up. He started to walk away again instead of follow me into the limo.

"Mokuba!" I shouted and he flipped me off as he walked away. The nerve of him! I don't remember him being so brash but perhaps it was puberty.

When I climbed into the limo I called Isis.

"Pharoah I was just about to call you! Someone has stolen the rod from my luggage!" She panicked over the phone.

That makes sence, Seto called me and told me he woke up with it after being brought to the shadow realm in his sleep. Things are getting kind of crazy around here." I moaned and put my hand over my eyes already tierd enough to go to sleep and it wasn't even one in the afternoon yet.

"Indeed. What ever forces are at work are very impatient it seems

." She agreed. I explained what was going on with Yugi and she promised to try and help when she got to Domino tonight. She had to change over planes knde more and then had maybe six more hours before she would make it to japan. After that I ended the call and found myself at the Kaiba mansion.

I was greeted by his butler an lead to his room where I found him sitting up in bed and looking at the golden rod with interest.

"Hey." He said without looking up, still looking beaten and exhausted.

"How are you feeling?" He shrugged in response and I sat down at the end of his bed and watched him.

"It feel right yami." He finally said looking away from the rod. He looked like he was about to drop but a night in the shadow realm will do that to a person.

" Kyrri has her memories back." I smiled as his mood instantly brightened, I wasn't sure when Kaiba had become so easy to read or perhaps he has always been and I just hadn't given him a second glance when we were rivals.

"Do you think she will want to see me?" He asked impaitiantly like he would jump out of bed right now were he capable. I smirked.

"I'm sure just give her time. She felt pretty guilty that you got hurt too." I added and ran my hands across the puzzle.

"how is Yugi?" He changed the subject as he stretched his one arm above his head.

" much the same if not worse. It feels like he is just fading away from me. I can't wake him at all." I groaned and lowered my head sadly. How I longed to have Yugi here to stand by me through all these changes.

"Do you think I could perhaps help to split the two of you apart now that I have the rod back?" He asked grabbing the rod and flexing his powers through it soflt. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You weren't exactly in controls last time... We got lucky that unlocking my memories worked." I said a little dissapointed.

"But I didn't have the rod then. I can already tell that having this helps channel my powers. Besides I used to split shadow monster souls from people all the time in Egypt I would think that the same principle wod apply." He cupped his chin as he thought and I watched his face morph into the calculating buisness man he had become.

"Yes I'm sure I can do it. I can sense Yugi now but only faintly, he is fading fast if we don't act now then we might loose our chance to save him." He was deadly serious as he drew his rod up and pointed it at me.

Just then my phone rang. I looked at the caller if and saw that it was Isis again. Answering quickly I listened as she began yelling in a panic.

" listen to Kaiba Pharoah he is telling the truth. I had a vision, if you don't act quickly Yugi will disappear completely. With your memories and powers completely unlocked his body can't carry the weight of the both of you and since your the puzzles true owner it is sucking the life force from him to protect you. Kaiba can do this, he can save Yugi." She ranted at me and I shook my head in guilt. It's all my fault Yugi is hurting after all.

"Are you sure?" I asked with fear evident in my shaking vouce.

"Positive. But Pharoah, remember to be grateful for whatever second chance the gods decide to give poor Yugi." She warned and the call ended. I looked back at Seto who had a satisfied smirk on his face at being right and I just nodded to let him know it was okay to proceed.

He focused his energy and straightened his shoulders and face as he began to chant in Egyptian. As I watched him I was in awe at how quickly his aura and appearance began to change. His skin grew more tN and his hair seemed to become slightly longer for just a moment as his chant ended and he opened his piercing blue eyes and I was engulfed in pure white light. For a moment it hurt so incredibly bad that I thought I must be dying. But then I began to feel a soft and gentle breeze as his energy wrapped around me and moved through me. I couldn't see a thing as I dropped to the ground and everything went black.

Kyrri's POV

When I woke up the room was conpletely dark. The first thing I noticed was that I wasn't alone. The second thing was that my company wasn't Yami. I immediately grew stiff as I stared into the cold dark brown eyes of my father.

"Good morning." He sneered and I gulped trying to make myself grow smaller in the bed. He took a step closer to me and sneered.

"So you tried to off yourself just like your bitch mother? Thought you would leave me all alone?" He asked sounding eerily calm as he grew close enough to place a hand next to my face And lean down to where we were only inches apart. I felt traitorous tears slip down my cheeks at the mention of my mother.

"no daddy I swear I just got light headed and fell." I explained through anxious breaths. He laughed and clamped a hand around my throat. I gasped and clawed at his arm to no avail.

"you listen little cunt and you remember what I say today. There isn't a power on earth that can help you escape me. You will stay in this hell hole with me forever... You look nothing like her you know. She was never as beautiful covered in my hand prints as you are." He let go of my neck but squeezed my face tightly as he licked the side of it all the way up my cheek. Then without another word he stalked out of the room an left me alone with my sobs.

I glanced at my phone sitting next to my school bag and reached for it without thinking I went to the speed dial and pressed the number that was programmed in under the contact name 'Boss'.

"Hello?" He answered quickly and sounded worried immediatly.

"Get me out of this hospital right now!" I demanded in a panic and then hung up. I couldn't take this I had to get out of here. I held my bracelet and pushed a warm wave of pure light energy around myself suprised at how easy it was for me to access my healing powers after having never used them in this life. I felt as my head as it Stopped throbbing and all of my body stopped hurting. I began to pull out the IV that was in my left arm just as the nurse came running in Just as I was removing my bandage from my head.

"What are you doing?" She asked shocked as she tried to get me to sit. I pushed her away and grabbed my things as she started to yell for the doctor.

"Seriously I'm fine. Look." I lifted my hair up to show her the completely healed scar in the patch where they had shaved my head. She gasped and the old and fat doctor who rushed into the room gasped as well and ran a finger over my scalp.

"Impossible we must run tests. We have to understand what's caused such rapid healing." He said with a devious glint in his eye as he grabbed my wrist and the nurse grabbed my back. I realized with fear that they don't intend to let me leave. I faught for a minute and a third nurse came in to help and restrain me. He pulled out a syringe and stuck it in my arm.

"You wouldn't be sedating a patient of sound mind against their will are you doctor Tanikashi?" Asked a smooth voice I didn't recognize from the doorway. Everyone relaxed their hold on me without actually letting me go and I looked up to see a doctor in a lab coat who looked to be about 35 and had thick messy black hair and wore glasses but still managed to look young in a way. Next to him stood a smaller man who wore a suit and held a leather brief case and I was pretty sure he was a lawyer.

"Miss Kyrri has been released into my care. Mr. Kaiba has paid for her teatment in full and also donated a considerable amount in thanks for his care he received here. You would do well to refrain from angering him any further with your intrusions on his secretary." The doctor smiled a wicked grin as he spoke and the man next to him opened the briefcase and pulled out some papers.

I was completely dropped from the grasp of the crazy nurse and doctor and the needle was removed from my arm and quickly replaced with a cotton ball and some tape. I glared as they backed off.

"If you could just initial here and then sign here Miss Rutherford." Motioned the little lawyer man as he handed me a pen and a clip board with the papers. I did as he asked without hesitation gratefully and handed them back over to him. He kept two Copy's and handed the last to the first doctor who had decided to assault me.

"As witness's to such a horrible malpractice of Medicine I am honor bound to report this to the police if Miss Kyrri decides to press charges." Said the dark haired doctor and I blinked in suprise. I hadn't even thought that far.

"Of course Akamenatsu. Good day Miss Kyrri my most sincere apology." Replied the old doctor as he bowed his head to me. I turned from him and walked towards my saviors and and left the room.

They guided me to the front lobby of the hospital and out the sliding doors where a limo waited.

"Kyrri?" Called a cold voice and I wanted to cry as my companions and I turned to see my father who for some reason was still close by. Of course it had obly been maybe Forty minutes since he left everything had happened so fast.

"What are you doing out of your bed. Darling your hurt you should be resting." He chided faking worry almost convincingly but I could see the glint of pure anger underneath his facade.

"Do you know this man?" Doctor Akamenatsu asked grabbing my arm. I had a choice I could lie and tell them I had never seen him to get away from him and try to go home later when he is passed out because he's too fucked up to function. Or I could tell them the truth that he is my father and he is an evil bastard and the last thing I want is to return home to him.

"Hello daddy, my job covers my insurance so I'm being transfered to a private hospital. You see my boss is actually who saved my life so it's very kind of him to pay for my hospital bill and offer to pay for special care since we couldn't afford the bill we can't refuse such a generous offer." I clenched my jaw as the lie flowed so smoothly from my lips and realized with some shock that I had actually twisted his arm this time. He couldn't argue with me. He sneered and squared his shoulders indignantly.

"No of course not. Make sure you call me when you get there, I have to go to work." He agreed and I could see the anger boiling underneath. Of course he had no job but I smiled anyways going alone with the charade. I knew when I returned home I would face punishment for my rebellion tonight. But everything was crazy and surprisingly my abusive father was the least crazy on the list.

I turned then without another word and allowed the two suprised men to escort me into the limo.

"You're a very good liar girl." Commented the doctor after the door was shut and we were seated. I looked back at him with my poker face strong.

"Is it a lie sir? Mr Kaiba is being very generous after all isn't he?" I asked forcing myself to sound calm and sweet even though I was quite shaken inside.

"Ha! I like you kid you've got spunk." He laughed and another man cleared his throat. I turned and looked at the other side of the limo for the first time-hey I'm under a lot of stress- and jerked my eyes open in shock as I took in the sight of Seto across the cab of the oversized car.

His leg was in a cast and his arm was in a sling. He had a bandage on his head as well and tears pooled into my eyes. This is what I did to him?

I sat completely still and refused to reach for him. I felt used and broken and I didn't want to waste his time, he was so much better than me. He deserved so much better than me...

"Thank you gentlemen. I will write a check on Monday and send them to each of you respectively." Kaiba said all buisness as the limo stopped.

"Wait." l I urged and leaned forward. I reached a hand out and place it on his chest as I used my powers to heal him as I had myself. He gasped and gawked at me when I opened my eyes. I forgot about the men in the car with us and I smiled up at him truly happy to have helped him. He shrugged his arm out of the sling and took off the boot cast. (Like the kind of boot that straps on instead of a fiber cast.)

"My god I've waited my whole life to see a miracle like this." Gasped doctor Akamenatsu as he placed a fist over his heart. Kaiba glared and the men quickly left the limo. We had only drove about three or four miles before we dropped both men off at Kaiba corp.

"Hello Seth." I sighed looking away and removing my hand before I sat back in my seat.

"Kyrri." He smiled and shifted his leg happily. Obviously glad to have his mobility back.

"I'm sorry you got hurt because of me." I muttered sadly and locked my gaze on my arms. When I had healed myself I had healed my arms as well as all the bruises and the cracked rib I was suffering from. I realized with some embarrassment that I was only wearing the flimsy hospital gown and my long legs stretched out awkwarsly. I shifted to sit more lady like and blushed.

"Don't be. It was worth it." He assured with a chuckle and I watched him through the curtain of my thick black hair so he couldn't see my darkening red cheeks at his statement.

"Will you take me home Kaiba?" I asked quietly and his eyes widened though I'm not sure if it was my request or my usage of his surname.

"Are you sure? I can take you to the mansion, or even to your brothers place at the game shop. Though he is at the mansion right now." He replied sounding miserable. I lowered my gaze to the floor unable to see his sadness. I had to keep him at a distance for his own sake.

"Could you take me to Bakura's tonight I'll have him take me home tomorrow so I can get ready to go to school."I asked meekly knowing that he didn't like my request at all. He sneered but grunted out a yes.

" you don't have school. Because of the accident I urged the principle to freeze your grades for the remaining two months of classes so that you could graduate into your senior year with the rest of your class and still have plenty of time to heal from the fall" he explained softly and I froze in shock. What was I going to do to keep myself busy and out of the house until next semester when I could go back to school. I wanted to cry and I forgot to speak.

During this time Kaiba directed his driver to go to the house of Bakura Ryou and spat out the directions in a cold tone. Though when he turned his attention back to me his gaze softened.

"I have missed you more than I know how to express." He admitted with a soft gentle smile and tears actually fell this time. I wasn't prepared to deal with all of this right jow. I still needed time to think things through. Everything was so fucked up and confusing I didn't know how to process this situation well enough to give him a decent answer and I left him disappointed and I twiddled my thumbs and looked awkwardly out of the window as we drove.

"Kyrri, please say something." He begged finally as he actually stood and changed seats to sit beside me. I grew stiff as he put and arm around my shoulder.

"Don't." I yelled and scooted away unsure I could handle his close proximity. He pouted an very un-Kaiba like frown and left his hands in his lap after that.

"Do you... Do you still love me?" He asked in a small voice and kept his eyes from mine. I looked at him in shock that he would ask me so bluntly but after staring at him for a moment I realized I had to let him down. I had to hurt him now so I could save him a lifetime of disappointment.

"No Kaiba." I forced myself to say and then composed my face into a hard emotionless mask and ignored him to the best of my abilities for the remainder of the ride.

Seto's POV

"No Kaiba." She spat and my chest began to ache. Years of hiding my emotions allowed me to contain my shock and my despair and I watched her glare out of the window. She was done talking I could tell. A few minutes passed of me watching her chew her nails in frustration before the limo came to a halt. Without hesitation she picked up her phone hitting the call button and opened the door.

"Kura I'm outside, I'll explain just let me in..." I heard her trail off as she slammed the door without looking back at me once. I watched as the door to the small condo that Bakura had swung open an she ran towards him and threw herself into his arms. He cast a glance towards my can as it began to drive away.

I clenched my fists in pure anger and screamed in frustration. What had I done wrong to loose her love, we once swore to each other that we would be togeter always, what had happened to her love? I felt hot tears drop and I yelled again angry that I had lost the ability to ignore my emotions since this crazy mess began. I wasn't even trying anymore because there was too much to filter and everything was piling up.

The ride back home was lonely and I surrendered to my heart ache as the limo grew closer and closer to home. Once inside the mansion I walked in satisfied to be able to walk but unable to appreciate it because I would rather live with broken bones forever I it meant I wouldn't have to feel this way.

"Kaiba?" Asked a weary voice from behind me that sounded familiar but also strange at the same time. I turned a scrutinizing eye behind me to find Yugi standing awkwardly in some of my extremely over sized pjs. The cloths we had thrown oh him... Er it... Her... As soon as the separation was complete hung off of her shoulders.

Yes I said her, somehow the process went wrong and the body that I had created using my most powerful magic had been female. Though my own personal theory was that Yugi had always just harbored the soul of someone extremely feminine to begin with.

"You're awake." I sighed remembering everything that had happened today and realizing that I had to be going bat shit crazy. This was a little bit too much for me to handle even if I admitted I was an ancient powerful priest form the distant past.

"Yes...my voice?" She wailed noticing the change in pitch and sound finally. Her even bigger than normal eyes widened in shock and she shook her head bringing my attention to her hair. It was still multicolored but much softer around the edges and it spiked in a more delicate almost pixie like manner. With her soft golem bangs falling in her heart shaped face.

"Here follow me. We might as well get this over with before Isis gets here." I groaned and forced myself to metaphorically pick up all my own problems and file them away for later when I was alone.

Yugi followed me up the stairs and into the second den where Yami had been put by my butters when he had fainted after the ritual. Yugi immediately ran to his side and grabbed his hand and I saw the physical reaction when Yami felt her presence with him. He relaxed and opened his eyes slowly taking in the sight of her. After a moment he blinked and then blinked again and even rubbed his eyes for good measure as he took in her appearance.

"What the hell Seto?" He demanded glaring at me from his possition on the couch. I simply shrugged at him and leaned against the arm of the other sofa.

"You're healed!" He proclaimed then in even more shock and sat up confused.

"Yami, I've missed you." Yugi said from beside him changing the subject and gaining his attention again. I realized that Yugi hadn't exactly put all the piece of the puzzle together yet and realized what happened to her body.

I grabbed a hanging mirror

off the wall that wasn't too big. Mokuba used it to fuss with his hair before school in the mornings, and handed it to Yami who held it for Yugi in response.

Yugi looked into the glass and gasped first touching her face and then moving her hand down to her chest. Both Yami and I looked away blushing madly as Yugi cupped her own breast and screamed once again falling unconscious.

" this must be what Isis meant when she told me to be grateful whatever the life the gods gave Yugi..." Yami muttered a he lifted her small frame up and traded places with her on the couch. After he had made sure she was okay we left the room and he questioned how I was healed so I told him the truth, the whole story from earlier. As much as I used to hate talking to anyone I had to admit it took a lot of the edge off to have someone to confide in. Strange that someone can change so much in such a short amount of time.

" she told me she doesn't love me anymore." I finished and forced the tears to stay deep inside me refusing to show anymore emotion tonight than I already had. Yami frowned at me sadly but didn't say anything.

Just then I heard heavy footsteps in the hallway as Mokuba came barging into the room. I looked up suprised as he strutted into the room with a pissed off look on his normally innocent face. Something was different, something was wrong with my baby brother.

" your okay." He stated in no way happy or surprised as he chucked my briefcase at me. I stopped up and grabbed it in anger.

"Where the hell were you Mokuba? You were gone for almost two days do you know how worried I was about you?" I scolded and he yelled, almost grunted in frustration and then his hands up.

" sure doesn't fucking look like is Mr Kaiba!" He screamed and ran from the toom. I went to follow him but Yami placed a soothing hand in my shoulder to stop me. He shook his head.

"Give the kid some time. He'll come around and apologize. Things are stressful for him too." He cautioned and after a moment I nodded in agreement. I would talk to Mokuba tomorrow.

"About Yugi, I'm sorry i don't know what went wrong." I admitted honestly. It had seemed like everything went exactly how I planned it to go besides the obvious changes in anatomy.

"Worry not Seto, Yugi is alive and in his...ah her own body and that's all that matters. We can sort out the details later. I believe we all need a good nights sleep. Isis won't be arriving until in the morning. She sent a message to Yugi's phone saying that her flight was delayed when she was switching flights." He said with a yawn and I nodded. Sleep was a good idea, then tomorrow I could go back to Kaiba corp and drown myself in Work to forget this sharp pain in my chest.

" I'll show you to a room you and Yugi can share, unless you would rather sleep in separate rooms." I spoke as we walked back to where Yugi was and he picked her up gently without waking her.

"No, I would like to stay with her. It's odd to be separate after so long of being one." He admitted and I nodded.

"I bet." I replied and lead him to the fifth floor ignoring Mokuba's blaring death metal music as we passed his sweet.

"Christ Kaiba did you ever think about putting in an elevator?" He whined as we made it to the top level of the house. I lead him to a plain room which cream colored walls and carpet and a simple white king sized bed and matching furniture. He smiled in that's as I closed the door and headed back to my own room.

Once I was alone again I crawled in to bed and allowed myself to wallow in my own self pity and shame until I fell In to a deep dreamless sleep.

Okay guys well there is chapter thirteen. Sorry it took so long, I was teased with the prospect of a new computer and decided to wait till then to write the chapter so I could be more confident in my grammar and spelling. But I guess that's not happening until I get taxes but as soon as I do get one I am going to edit the whole story chapter for chapter and fix all the problems I know I'm missing on my phone. But until the I'll keep diligently writing on my crappy phone because I love you all that's why!


	14. Chapter 14

Jou's POV

I woke up to the sound I my alarm clock buzzing annoyingly and realized with a groan that it was Monday and that I had to go to school. Since Kyrri's accident was on Thursday the teachers had canceled school through the weekend but now everyone was expected back. We had finals coming up after all.

I grudgingly got up and stumbled into my small bathroom. After relieving my full bladder I brushed my teeth and quickly rinsed off in the shower. I walked back into my room and grabbed my phone seeing I had a missed call and message from Anzu.

'I guess I missed you, I have a late class. Call you tonight.' It read and I frowned. I hadn't talked to her much over the last few days and I felt guilty for letting everything get in the way of making time for her.

'Okay babe. I love you.' I replied and then got dressed for school. After I put my shoes on I grabbed my bag and walked into the living room. Through my window that faced to the south, the side that faced Kyrri's house I saw her father as he stumbled to his door. He was obviously messed up and I began to question if it was merely alcohol that had him inebriated. A too thin skanky woman clung to his side pathetically and I was positive she was a prostitute.

He fumbled with his keys for a bit and then swung the door open. I waited until he was inside the house before I shook my head and walked outside. As soon as Kyrri was feeling better I had to have a serious talk with her, she needed help because her father was a monster.

Thinking of her I pulled my phone back out of my pocket as I dialed Yugi's number. After a few rings a girl answered sounding half asleep.

"Hello?" She rasped out and I heard shuffling through the line.

"Who is this?" I asked in shock checking my phones screen to ensure I had indeed dialed the right number?

"Uh..." She said rather ungracefully and I heard the phone being snatched away and more shuffling.

"Jou?" Yami asked sounding surprised and half asleep, even though no one was around to see it my eyes widened and I came to a halt on the sidewalk.

"What the hell Yami? Who the hell was that?" I demanded feeling anger swell through me, how could he do this to Yugi? Everyone knew he had feelings for the spirit that resided within him, and I was sure that the Pharaoh cared for Yugi until now. How could he worry about sex at a time like this, in Yugi's body at that!

"Um... Look you're not going to believe me unless you see it for yourself. Come to the Kaiba mansion and I'll explained everything." He said and hung up. I stared at the phone for a while without moving. I guess school would have to wait. Maybe I could just miss first period and make it for the second.

I turned around and walked back to my house since I was only a two blocks away and unlocked the garage. Inside was my motorcycle. I didn't drive it to school because we weren't aloud to drive, or have jobs for that matter. Kaiba's mansion was close to six miles from my own house, him on the rich side and me on the poor side completely opposite of each other.

I cringed when I realized I would have to deal with money bags and revved the engine and shot down the street.

On the way I let my mind relax and just enjoyed the feeling of the breeze rushing through my hair and across my skin. I was always most at peace while racing through the streets on this bad bitch. I smiled wickedly to myself, this was my baby and I never had enough time to appreciate riding anymore.

It didn't take me long to get to Kaiba's house. I waited for the gates to open and rode slowly thought the long drive-way that stretched to his overkill of a house. I walked up to the door and reached my hand to the doorbell just as it swung open and revealed a very pissed looking Kaiba.

"What the hell Yami? Who gave you permission to invite the Mutt to my house? You better not have fleas." He glared down at me whist he spoke to Yami who was tripping over his feet as he strapped up his leather boot.

Kaiba himself was only wearing a pair of pajama pants and his hair was ruffled. My jaw dropped when I realize he was not crippled. He turned sharply to let me in and I saw that his back was fine. Free of any scars as evidence of him skidding across the sidewalk.

"How?" I stuttered and touched his back. He jumped and spun around slapping my hand away. I grinned sheepishly and backed away rubbing the back of my head, no need to fist fight a man still in his pajamas after all.

"Kyrri healed him." Yami piped up smiling like a mad man, I looked at him in shock and he leaned against the back of the sofa.

"Kyrri did what?" I asked glaring at him as I remembered why I was here in the first place. He quickly explained that she woke up with her memories restored and had healed herself then basically escaped the hospital and had then healed Kaiba too. Yami went on to explain she was currently with Bakura and that she and Kaiba had gotten into a argument.

"Whatch your mouth." Kaiba jabbed glaring at Yami and the spirit held his hands up in surrender before he started to smile again.

"Okay... Well that explains one miracle, now explain to me why I shouldn't kick your ass into next week you horny asshole!" I shouted pointing to Yami, he meeped and put the couch between us with one swift leap over the top. He threw his hands back up to signify that he had not intentions to defend himself I made a move. Kaiba smirked as he watch us.

"I can explain that Jou..." Said a soft voice at the end of the room and I looked up to see Yugi standing in the entrance to the living room. Wearing a blue pajama top that slumped off one of his shoulders and hung down damn near to his knees. He looked adorable and I stopped staring, something was different about him besides the fact that he had a body.

"You're seperated!" I exclaimed happily and ran around the couch giving my best bud a huge hug in which I picked him up. He shrieked shrilly and I froze up, I could actually feel the difference of his body against my own and was completely shocked.

"Jou! Let me down!" He swerved to free himself and I could feel small yet supple breasts pressed against my own chest. I dropped Yugi and he fell to the floor with a thud.

"You're a... Holy shit! You're a... A..." I couldn't finish the sentence and I pointed at him in utter shock. He stood with Yami's help and Kaiba cackled behind me as he stalked out of the room.

"A girl." She whispered in a small voice and looked down in shame. I realize that she must be pretty shaken and probably needed a lot of comfort but I couldn't help as laughter erupted from my lips. I doubled over and held my stomach.

"Hey jerk! This is serious!" Yugi yelled and hit me over the head. This made me laugh even more. I realized I was being rude but after everything this was just too much. I had to be loosing my damn mind.

"You have to admit that this is pretty funny." Kaiba commented and I looked over to see him smirking from behind a large cup I coffee.

"You're not helping Seto!" She yelled and launched a couch cushion at his head. He leaned slightly out of the way and actually laughed as it shot past him and this sobered me up. Kaiba acting like a normal guy his age instead of scowling and pretending to be an icicle. How surreal is this?

"I'm sorry Yug, I guess everything's been so crazy lately and this... This was just the icing on the cake of crazy." I admitted rubbing the back of my head. Kaiba picked up the pillow and replaced it on the couch.

"That's actually an accurate assessment dog." He smirked and sat down. Yugi pouted angrily and crossed her arms while I stuck my tongue out at the back of his head.

"Assholes." Yugi grumbled and stalked to the love seat sitting down. Yami trailed after her with a huge grin plastered on his face and I got the impression that he was enjoying this turn of events. Well whatever works for them. I ended up dropping down and crossing my legs on the floor.

"What are you going to do about school Yug?" I asked and she popped her eyes open in thought. And shifted around with her legs spread apart. I looked away quickly to avoid causing her embarrassment.

"I hadn't thought about that, obviously I can't go like this." She motion towards her chest and blushed.

" but you can!" She looked at Yami and smiled. " you can go to school like a normal kid in my place." Yami frowned and took her hand.

"But that isn't fair aibou." He said quietly speaking just to Yugi.

"I could probably work up a birth certificate and even a social security card and id. Forging school records is simple enough." Kaiba spoke for the first time since we sat down. I was pleasantly surprised he was offering help.

"Really Seto?" She gasped smiling ear to ear. Seto cleared his throat and looked away awkwardly, it was good to see that he wasn't immune to Yugi's new charm either.

"You'll have to dye your hair though, someone might still recognize you otherwise." I added and Kaiba nodded approvingly.

"So it's settled then. Yami will continue on in Yugi's place while he goes on under a new alias. Well I have business to attend to." He frowned and stood, all traces of his happy mood gone as he stalked out to the room.

"Well I probably ought to get to school I'm late as it is. Think Kaiba will care if I leave Sally here?" I asked referring to my bike.

"I'll bring it into the garage master Katasuya. There is a limo waiting for you outside to take you to school." I blinked at the creepy butler that popped up behind us out of nowhere.

"Well I guess I'll be off then. Hey Yug?" I asked without looking at her petite form and she jumped up to wish me farewell.

"Yea?" She replied as she stood behind me.

"Next time I see you please wear more cloths." I said and watched her light up crimson red. Even Yami was blushing as I walked out of the Kaiba mansion.

Mokuba's POV

I walked into the den with a blanket wrapped around me tightly. I was cold, and hadn't slept a wink in three nights now.

What ever Mitch had given me had really messed me up. I was wired for sound at first and then it had started to wear off and now I just felt crappy. Of course I wasn't going to school.

Just as I lounged myself on the couch and closed my eyes trying to ignore my shaking hands Seto walked into the room. I closed my eyes before he saw me awake. He knelt quietly in front of me and brushed my bangs out of my face as he pressed his hand to my four head.

"Hey kiddo, how are you feeling?" He asked shaking my shoulder slightly. Even though it touched me that he had bothered to check on me I still wasn't ready to stop being angry. Suddenly I wanted out of the house. I sat up and grunted at him.

"Yea whatever. I have to get ready for school." I muttered and pushed his shoulder to get him out of my face as I stood and left the room without looking at him.

I went to my room and threw open my closet and began digging through my cloths. I pulled out a pair of black skinny jeans and a legend of Zelda shirt. Then I put on my shoes and walked down stairs. Seto was gone to work by now but as I walked into the living room I came to a firm halt at the sight before me.

Yami sat holding the hands of Yugi, seeing the two together wasn't actually what shocked me the most. What really got me was that Yugi was wearing my brothers shirt and maybe it was because suddenly I know what I was looking for but even I could see the supple curves of the obviously female body.

"The fuck is going on around here? This isn't a god damn nut house! Get out my face with this insanity!" I screamed but instead of waiting for them to respond I ran out of the house and off the property instead of calling a limo to take me since I didn't plan on going to school like this.

I ended up walking through town. I passed my favorite burger joint but as soon as I reached the door I realized how very not hungry I was. Funny, I javent ate since the night on the beach eaither.

-flashback-

"Here kid, you wanna see whole new worlds? Hit this shit, I promise it will take you places." Mitch stated as he reached a funny looking glass pipe towards me. My stomach dropped, and I felt like the scared thirteen year old I was.

Still with my desire to piss Seto off for forgetting all about me I grabbed it and he helped me light it. My mind grew fuzzy and I felt like I was flying. I remember laying back in the sand and looking at the stars and it was beautiful, suddenly I didn't care about Seto or his drama. We stayed up all night laughing and playing guitar and Mitch told story's about other party's he had been to and what a legend he was.

But as the sun had come up I started to feel strange. My skin was itchy and my eyes were dry almost as if I had forgotten to blink all night.

I walked him as everyone began to go home or climb into the van to go where ever they were going. My walk wa terrifying as I felt like I was being watched and followed the whole time. I ended up hiding in a part for several hour while I continued to sober up because I was afraid to go home and face Seto like this. Then I had bumped into Yami at the pier and he had freaked on me.

-end flashback-

Shit Yami! I completely forgot he had black mail on me, he could tell Seto about me having sex, even though I hadn't cared when I did it suddenly I was so paranoid about what would happen if he found out.

What would I do if Seto found out about the meth? I'm young but I'm not ignorant. Of course Seto had always made sure I understood the dangers of drugs and alcohol and the school I had been in was very proactive in making sure we understood the world outside our educations.

I felt like a fool, no I felt like a tool. Yet here I was wanting to wait until the sun went down. Already anxious to see Ally and even the others. They gave me somethig to focus on that didn't stress me out. It was fun to be with them and it made me feel normal. Like I had friends.

I found myself at the pier again, so I walked out onto the beach and layed down on the warm sand on my stomach. Why I had come here I didn't know but the sun felt good on my back and I ended up falling into a restful slumber for the first time in days.

"Hey!" I woke to my shoulder being shook and looked up to the gleeful eyes of Ally as she smiled from ear to ear.

I quickly sat up and began to brush sand out of my hair. The sun was setting and it was humid outside making my hair stick to my face.

"That looks pretty annoying. Want a ponytail?" She asked as she reached an pulled a very pink band off Her wrist. I smiled and quickly pulled my hair back. She reached up and brushed her hand across my cheek.

"Your face is pretty cute. Why do you hide it under all that hair? You should cut it!" She chirped as she helped me up and we began to walk behind the big boulder that lead to the place that I had first met everyone.

I frowned, cut my hair? I had never cut my hair, Seto always told me how I had moms hair. How it reminded him of her so much so I had kept it long as a memento to her memory.

Anger bubbled in my chest at the thought of Seto. I hadn't done it for my mom I had done it for him. Yet he never had time for me anymore and I wanted to show him how I no longer needed him.

"You have some some scissors?" I smiled sweetly at her and pushed all thoughts of my asshole brother out of my head. Let him play magic with his supposed 'friends' and I'll be here having a real life.

"Really? There's some in the van, come on let's go." She yelled as she intertwined our fingers and pulled me after her as we ran the rest of the way.

"Hey kid." Mitch said as he sat in the same beach chair he had the other day. I smiled and nodded and he began to strum on his acoustic guitar again.

Alyssa sat me down in a chair and ran off to get the scissors. When she returned she pulled the ponytails out and handed it to me. I slid it on my wrist as she began to chop away at my hair.

I bit my lip as my stomach flipped unconfortably. My head was growing lighter the more hair she cut causing me to feel disoriented and anxious but I kept the worries to myself. Soon I was surrounded by locks of my hair piled up on the sand and sadness slammed over me.

I closed my eyes tight no longer able to watch as my hair fell from my body and was suddenly no longer a part of me. Making me feel less and less a part of my mother who had given her own life so that I could live. I forced theses thoughts back and sat in silence staring at the backs of my eye lids while I wired for it to be over.

"There all done!" Alyssa giggled and gave the top of my naked feeling head an affectionate ruffle. I opened my eyes refusing to look at the hair in the sand and ran my hands through it. Oh god! It's so short, I could easily run my fingers through it. There wasn't enough length for tangles to be a problem. I gasped and Ally frowned in disappointment.

"Here." She said and handed me a small handheld mirror. I took a deep breath and looked at my face first, that was usually so hidden under my thick mane but now it was completely exposed. I realized with some distaste that I actually looked a lot like Seto this way. We had the same sharp angular face and pointed chin. Even my eyebrows were shaped in a similar way.

Luckily she had cut my hair in a different fashion, it was messy still, and I still had wild bangs sweeping over my four head. It shagged over my ears and curled up in places where I had long forgotten cow licks. I shook my head for good measure and smiled, it wasn't so bad. I looked so much older and I kind of liked that it made me feel more confident. No longer would I hide behind my hair, I would face the world head on.

"Yea." I said to myself then turned to Ally before I spoke again. " I like it. You did a good job." She beamed at me and commented how much cuter it made me and then she began to collect my fallen hair and toss it into a bag tied to the van for trash.

"Where are the others? I asked as we all gathered around in a circle all sitting in beach chairs.

" just us tonight kid." Mitch said and then pulled his rasta colored back pack out from behind him. He pulled out the same pipe and I looked away trying to pretend that the ocean was much more intertwining.

I could see Alyssa in my peripheral as she imediatly jumped to attention and waited for him to hit it and then pass it to her. I turned and watched her transfixed as she held the flame to the ball shaped end and turned it as she sucked in the smoke. She relaxed visually and exhaled without coughing, when she opened her eyes she looked absolutely euphoric. She grinned and leaned it towards me. I just stared at it in shock, why did I even want to do this again?

Against my better judgment I grabbed it but just as I began to hit it too Mitch cleared his throat.

I stopped and looked up a he pulled out a bag that had the crystals in it and also a small pipe. I took my hit quickly wishing it to be over with and handed it all back to the girl I was starting to really develop feelings for. She swayed to music that was all her own an as I exhaled I felt the wave of pleasure rush over me.

"Let's call this the starter kit. You got Fourty bucks it's yours."Mitch said with a satisfied grin. I stared at it but my head was fuzzy and it was hard to think rationally about the situation. I mean did I want to feel like this again, hell yes. But did I want to feel horrible and sick, absolutely not.

" I... I don't know." I admitted and held the bag as he passed it over. Once it was in my hands I think the decision left my control as I pulled out the money and passed it over. I put the bag in my pocket and enjoyed the night into the long hours.

Kyrri's POV

(Here's where time starts to pass by quicker this is 9 days later.)

I woke up and rubbed my eyes stretching like a cat as I came into awareness. It was still pitch black and I looked around disoriented until I found an alarm clock in the same place I found it every morning for well over a week but I wasn't really keeping count of the days I had been hiding out here.

Apparently it was one in the afternoon. My eyes shot open as I realized I had never slept this late before.

I stood up an fumbled for the light switch. I looked around Bakura's room. The curtains and comforter were dark chocolate brown while the floor and walls were cream colored. Those must have been some nice curtains to have blocked out so much light that I kept sleeping in.

Leaving the room I turned the light off and padded my way down the hallway until I reached the living room. Bakura sat on the couch reading some book about war strategies and I chuckled softly to myself.

"I didn't know you could read." I teased as I sat down next to him. He glared and poked my arm rather offended.

"Look who's up sleeping beauty." He joked and put a book mark in place between the pages and sat the book down on the small wooden coffee table.

"I ordered pizza for lunch." He motioned towards the table and I smiled in delight.

"Oh pizza for breakfast my favorite." I pulled up a slice. And with glee realized it was still a little warm. After I was full which only took one slice since I never really ate much and leaned back in relaxation.

"You seem to be in a good mood today." He commented and I smiled again just to be sure I was convincing him.

"Yup, now that I don't have to worry about Kaiba trying to smother me in feelings." I made sure my voice sounded hard and glared at my fists for good measure. But inside my stomach was flipping and my heart beating rapidly around the insufferable pain that was brewing at the though of my beloved priest.

Of course Seto had tried to contact me, seeming in disbelief that my feelings had died. Sometimes he would call and I would sit watching my phone ring, with my knees pulled up to my chest and unable to answer for fear I would break down. Sometimes he would text me, and it would take me an hour if not more to build up the courage to read what he said. These were half of the reasons why I was hiding at Bakura's house, the other half being my father.

He narrowed his eyes and watched me for a minute before shaking his head and clearing up the pizza mess. I stood to help him clear it away but he held his hand up to stop me sticking his tongue out.

I walked to the bookshelf to see if I could find something to read myself but stopped when I came across a picture that hand been knocked down so it was flat on the shelf. I picked it up and inspected it closely. I could tell this was a picture of Ryou not just because Bakura had told me all about him. His eyes were softer and a lighter chocolate brown. He was also a little boy, maybe ten and he stood next to an even smaller girl with the same long white hair and brown eyes. They both had Popsicles and their faces were sticky as they grinned up at whoever took the picture.

"I wish I knew how to save him." Kura whispered right behind me making me jump and drop the picture frame. He quickly caught it and sat it face down again without even looking at it. I placed my hand on his shoulder.

"We will find him. We just need to come up with a plan." I encouraged and he turned away from me.

"You don't understand. Zork is more powerful than you remember, we need all the power we can get. Right now our alliances aren't strong enough." He snapped and picked up his book. This surprised me, our alliances? Was he really considering working with my brother and Seto? Had they already moved past everything that happened in the past, and more importantly was I the only one struggling to come to terms with this?

I watched him read and slowly after a few minutes the lines of worry ebbed from his face a little though not completely disappearing and when I was sure he had calmed down I turned my attention inward satisfied to have time to think.

We sat in silence for a while with him continuing to read his book and me just sitting with my thoughts. We had been talking for days while we rekindled our long lost friendship so now it was easier to just be around each other without needing to talk. We talked about everything, except of course that fatal night in the palace when everything fell apart.

I chewed on my nails as I brewed over the situation I was currently in. I've technically run away, though I doubt dad really cares and I'm living with my best friend who technically forced my hand in committing suicide in my past life all because I was afraid to go home to my increasingly abusive father. Oh did I mention that I was now accepting that I had a past life where I was this amazing and loved princess, a slap in the face at how far I have fallen from that person.

Seto crossed my mind and I flipped my phone open and opened the last message he sent for the thousandth time and he had only sent it yesterday.

'Please come back to work.' It was simple enough, of course it had followed several plea's for me to explain what he had done wrong or what he could do to regain my trust. These messages hurt too much to read and I had deleted them as soon as I had read them the first time. But this message was simple enough for me to handle. it posed a very important question, would I go back to work? I Mean after all I could never land another job like this. The pay was phenomenal and I hated to admit that there was a selfish part of me that wanted to see Seto every day. Te same side of me that craved self torment obviously.

My eyes landed on the little calendar app on my phone and widened. It was February 23, the anniversary of the day my mother commuted suicide. My birthday. No wonder I was a ball of nerves today.

My chest was stricken with unbearable pain and I curled up tighter in on myself causing Bakura to eye me cautiously.

So to add to my list of problems now I flashed though the memory of her funeral, of the moment my father had found her an the blood cutting scream that had sounded through the house when he stumbled across her limp body.. Or the beating I had received every year on this day that was worse than all the others every year for the last ten years. The horribly ugly thought that my own mother had hated me so much that she killed herself on my birthday just so she could scar me for life.

Thinking about this made me anxious and my chest squeezed tightly and I clenched my fists. It was getting hard to breath and I excuse myself to the bathroom where I gasped for breath and sank to the floor on my knees.

I tried to get it together, I tried to compel my sobs so that Bakura wouldn't hear me. I tried to be strong, like I had once been when I had helped run the whole country of Egypt, but I couldn't control my shaking hands as I reached into my pocket and brought out a little black hollowed out eyeshadow case. I opened it and revealed the hiding place for my emergency cure, I carried it everywhere I went.

I pilulled out a box cutter razor blade and without hesitation yanked my sleeve up and drew the blade up the length of l my arm. Unsatisfied I watched the blood pool around my wrist and on the the white tiles of the floor. Again, I drew it up and again. Before I knew it I stared down mutely at the blood on the floor, a nice sized puddle of it now gathered at my knees and soaking into the material of Bakura's sweatpants I was wearing. I had this sence of detachment about it all and just watched as the blood ran from my body without any emotion at all.

"Wake up child!" Demanded a voice from above me and I looked up to see a familiar yet misty almost see through face.

" I thought I was a tiny god?" I giggled in a loopy state at the beautiful woman I met while I was lost in the shadow realm. The same woman who had tried to help me remember who I was.

She glowered in anger down at me and I began to focus more lost in the bright blue of her eyes. Her face twisted even more into a scowl and I shrunk down afraid of her power.

"Wake up from your delusions. You are too important to be defeated like this." She waved her wrist down to my bleeding arms and I followed her gesture to state at it myself.

"You must bridge the gap, or all will suffer. Only you can do this, of you don't bring the pieces together everything you know and love will be reduced to ashes."She warned as she disappeared her voice fading into a ghostly whisper.

Once alone the gravity of my situation came rushing over me and with a sharp clarity I realize I had gone to far. These cuts were too deep and I was in serious danger. I stumbled to my feet and faught the dizziness that threatened to knock me down. I had to get help, I didn't want to die.

"Kyrri! Kyrri please open this door, say something damn it." Bakura's shouts reached me slowly and I could faintly make out the sound of him banging on the door over the sound of my frantically beating heart.

I dropped te razor and with the hand that wasnt maimed I twisted the knob slowly to reveal an extremely panicked Bakura.

I tried to step forward and ask for help but only one word left my lips as I tumbled into his waiting arms.

"Seth."

Seto's POV

Listening to the rhythmic sound of my fingers hitting the keys of my laptop I sighed in content. It was easy for me to block out thought of the emotional kind while I was writing codes or editing previous codes for whatever program I was working on. Numbers were easy to understand and were universally the same everywhere you went. While thought, an feelings, and the way people talked all changed around me too quickly for me to be comfortable wit. Numbers would always stay the aame.

I cracked my neck and fingers quickly and began to type away furiously onc more. I had missed more than enough work lately and even though I had a valid excuse I was glad to be back in my office. It was actually pretty funny to listen to the rumors spread around that I had used some super machine to heal myself and that I was keeping the cute to cancer a secewt. I chuckled just thinking about it.

Taking a sip of my coffee I glanced at a picture of Mokuba that sat on my desk, this was recent. Only a few months ago. He smiled around a large bite of ramen and chopstick jammed in his mouth. Completely happy and bubbly, I missed this Mokuba and it drove me crazy he was in such a hurry to grow up.

Kyrri crossed my mind and for some reason my stomach fluttered in nervousness. I tried to shake the feeling I didn't want to think about her while at work. It was bad enough I hadn't slept a wink over the last week because every time I closed my eyes I would see her beautiful face and it broke my heart. I couldn't handle thinking of her while I couldn't have her in my arms.

Forcing myself to focus on the string of numbers on the screen I narrowed my eyes and typed faster. I made it another five minutes before my phone began to vibrate. When I saw the number I almost dropped the phone.

"Kyrri?" I asked hopefully Answering it quickly. Silence greeted me for a moment before I heard the person on the line take a big breath.

"Priest get here now and bring the rod. Kyrri is hurt and this is beyond my abilities to handle, I'm sure she doesn't want to go back to that hospital anytime soon." The thief spat over the line and I gasped standing and running out of the room without bothering to grab my coat.

"What happened this time?" I asked as I waited for the first elevator to go down to my secretary's level so I could get to the main elevator. I was coming to the realization that Kyrri was a danger magnet.

"I... I think she tried to kill herself." He finally managed quietly and my heart stopped. Oh god. Oh my god why would she do that? How could I fail to protect her? How do you even protect someone from themselves. I hung up the phone and ran through my secretary's office.

On the way down the next elevator I called my family doctor only to have him inform me that he was out of town. I screamed over the phone and threw it across the cab of my porche. I decided to drive myself using one of the several cars I kept in the basement garage h set Kaiba corp since the limo driver refused to drive over the speed limit. I ignored my racing heart and thoughts, if the price to have Kyrri in my life and alive was all this craziness then I was willing to pay that price.

The ride to Bakura's house was a blue of worry and fear as I contemplated the worst case scenario. That I would arrive too late and she would already be dead.

By the time I made it to my destination I was practically hyperventilating. And I slammed on the brakes with an audible shriek and the tires came to a halt in the street outside his house.

Bakura opened the door before I knocked and I ran in and straight to his couch where he had Kyrri.

She was pale, too pale and her eyes were closed and the lids were a purplish color with her brows knit together in worry even in her unconscious state. I reached out and took her arm in my hands. Blood was still e

Gushing out at an alarming rate and I lunged into an even more blind panic I looked upat Bakura in fear. His eyes held much the same anxiety that I'm sure mine held.

"Why didn't you try to stop the bleeding?" I yelled and his eyes widened as he gaped his mouth open a few times before he shrugged and looked at the floor.

"My medical knowledge goes about as far as rub some mud in the wound and even I'm smart enough now to know that would be a horrible idea." He defended and I stared blankly at him for a moment before I snapped All to attention back to the poor bleeding angel before me.

"I need some kind of cloth to wrap her arm up with!" I barked out while lifting her arm up delicatly. I could see five maybe six long gashes up her arm stretching from her wrist to her inner elbow.

The tomb robber thrust his freshly discarded shirt in front of me and then dissapeared into his kitchen. I focused fully on Kyrri as I ripped the shirt in half and began to wrap up her wounds making sure I applied more preassure where it was needed. Blood quickly soaked the shirt.

Bakura returned with a bowl of water and several wash towels and sat them at my feet. I grunted in thanks and held my own hands over her wrist to apply the right amount of preassure.

"Should I call the pharaoh?" He asked quietly behind me and I stopped for a moment looking at him in suprise. It seemed out of character for him to be so helpful and I tried to remind myself that it must be easier for Bakura to show his true colors without the influence of the dark lord Zork. Perhaps he may be worth keeping around after all, but then again perhaps not.

"Go ahead, Akamenatsu is out of town with another patient. He said he would rush back but it will take hours for him to make it back to domino and we don't have that kind of time." I nodded in his direction as he called Kyrri's brother.

"Tell him to take a limo, and to bring me the rod." I barked out and shifted so that I could better hold her at this angle whilst still keeping pressure on her wrist.

He returned yelling over the phone at Yami about how this wasn't his fault, but I ignored him and used my free hand to find the pulse behind her ear. It was faint and starting to fade.

"NO! Damn it Kyrri don't you dare fucking die on me." I yelled and wrapped myself tighter around her. Bakura hung up the phone then, obviously deciding the arguing wasn't helping.

" what can I do to help?" he panicked and dropped himself at my feet right in front of her. I looked at him through blurry tears and shook my head.

"I don't know what to do. She's lost too much blood, she wouldn't even make it to the hospital at this rate..." I spoke with a cold and dead sounding voice. I watched as tears of his own began to fall an he took her I injured hand. Who the hell was this Bakura and where had he been in the past?

"Look hold preassure here and here." I demanded as I directed him where to put his hands. I then stood and took off my tie and wrapped it around her upper arm like a makeshift turnicate. After a moment it seemed like maybe the blood flow was decreasing. I checked her pulse again and felt as it fluttered almost too softly to direct.

"Please baby don't do this to me. I need you!" I whispered as I pressed my four head to hers. Her skin was cold, and her whole body was limp. I kept my index finger pressed to where I still felt her beating heart as it lost the ability to continue beating coming to a stuttering stop.

"NOOOO!" I screamed clutching her closer to me jerking her arm out of Bakura's hands, he was too shocked to stop me.

I felt white hot energy electrify from my chest through my arms and out of my hands. I felt it's glow all around me as it seeped through Kyrri as well.

-flashback-

" you're trying too hard." Kyrri giggled as she sat perched up on the stone table that was in the middle of the ritual room next to a wounded kitten. I groaned and focused my mind holding my mellinium rod high. I was still getting used to using it, Kyrri was years ahead of me on using magic having been trained her whole life for this role while I had been chosen as a young boy for my natural talent with sorcery. Though healing just wasn't my strong suit.

" if it's so easy then you do it!" I grumbled and crossed my arms in frustration. She smiled and swayed herself in front of me. She held up her left hand over the wounded cat that sat on the table with a broken leg.

In an instant she began to glow brightly in a beautiful white bluish light and for a second her whole body turned white as she touched her hand softly to the poor animal. The cat stretched happily and licked her hand in thanks before jumping down and running away. She turned to me then, her hair still white and her eyes as blue as the sky and smiled a breathtaking smile before the energy faded and she was her norman self. Midnight hair and crimson eyes and all.

"The power to heal resides in all of Amaterasu's children. You have just to look inside and find it. It's easier if you care for the person or animal... Oh I have an idea." She lunged backwards and turned quickly grabbing a small blade.

Before I had time to stop her she lunged the knife into her stomach and doubled over screaming as she jerked the weapon out of her flesh.

"Princess!" I yelled and caught her as he tumble forwad. Blood was getting everywhere and I felt tears prickle at the corners I my eyes. She was in pain because I couldn't heal her. With a sudden clarity I took a deep breath and clenched the rod tightly as I channeled the energy into the stab wound on the stomach.

We both gasped as my own power hit hers and intertwined brilliantly around us Creating a sort of wind. She touched her stomach with one hand and then my face with the other.

" I knew you could do it." She beamed and I smiled too unable to be angry while we were so close, our auras I melding together in such an intimate way. We both realized something that day, that without each other we were nothing in the world.

-end flashback-

White hot flames of energy roared out from within me as I refused this reality in which I lost her again. The shockwave blasted Bakura into the wall and I screamed incoherently in sadness.

"Kaiba?" She whispered and I dropped my face down to hers. Her eyes were wide and she clutched me tightly. For a moment we just stared at each other.

"You healed me?" She gasped and I nodded still unable to speak through the lump in my throat.

"Without your rod?" She whispered and again I nodded. At this she forced herself out of my arms and I watched as she put several feet between us, now having plenty of energy that I had pumped through her. I myself was feeling rather drained from using so much at once of the power I had.

"Seto?" The door blew of it's hinges revealing Yami as he kicked it open and ran in with a wild look in his crimson eyes. Yugi ran in a second later gasping for breath with the rod clutched to her chest and a wild look in her lavender eyes.

"Kyrri!" He shouted when he saw her sitting up and obviously not near death. He rushed forward and wrapped his arms around her tightly. She returned the hug gladly and I listened as she apologized over and over again. I found myself jealous that I could not hold her myself.

"Why would you try to leave me after we only just found each other?" He finally asked sounding heartbroken. Revealing that he felt the same way that I did about the whole ordeal. She grabbed his hand with a guilty look and they locked eyes sharing one of their rare twin moments when it was almost like they could actually touch minds. Though I knew this wasn't the case.

I felt a tug on my sleeve and looked down to see Yugi standing next to me looking up with her big oval eyes sadly. She held out a tissue and I gladly took it wiping my face of the tears that were beginning to dry already. She grabbed my had and I looked down shocked as she smiled.

"It's okay Seto. You don't have to be sad alone anymore, you have us. I know I've said this to you before but we are your friends." She said and I looked away awkwardly but I didn't let her hand go. For once glad to have the support, of course it meant nothing. She was Yami's Hikari and I had Kyrri, or rather I wish I had her. I would never love anyone else after loving her.

Yugi and I sat back and let the siblings catch up, since they really hadn't and Bakura busied himself cleaning up the mess.

Eventually Yugi began to get sleepy and she took the limo back to the mansion, for some reason instead of going home.

Her and Yami ha actually been staying at the mansion since she reviewed a body of her own. After Kyrri had promised at least a hundred times that she would never even think about doing something like this again she finally convinced her brother to go home with Yugi. She seemed to be very greatful that she was alive. Yami followed Yugi out but I stayed behind.

Bakura left the room then, and I was greatful to have a moment to speak to her. I opened my mouth to ask of she was okay but she cut me off.

"I want you to leave me alone." She glared and I couldn't even fathom why she was angry at me.

"I saved your life!" I defended while I narrowed my eyes in disbelief. She stood up and faced my anger head on with an anger of her own that rivaled mi e.

"Thank you. But enough is enough. What I do is none of your buisness Kaiba. I don't belong to you." She shouted and began to pace back and forth in front of me. I didn't even know what to say.

"But I didnt want you to die." I pleaded with her holding my hands out like I was going to pull her to me. She flinched and backed away from me more.

"What you want is none of my concern priest." She hissed and flashed her blood red eyes at me hatefully. I stopped cold in my tracks. Who was this, where had my sweet Kyrri gone? I had never seen her look at someone with such hate. Not even when Bakura was facing us down on the last night we were all still alive.

"What the hell did I do to deserve this? Tell me what the fuck did I do to you to make you hate me so much. I was willing to die for you, to take your place. I lived my whole life in dedication to you. I LOVED YOU WITH EVERYTHING I HAD! And it wasn't enough... I was never anything more to you than a play thing was I?"she stood shocked at my outburst, even I was shocked. Her eyes popped open as my voice rose in volume and she began to shake.

"None of that matters now!" She shouted but refuse to look at me. I grabbed her shoulders lightly. She didn't fight me this time but instead grew rigid as a stone.

"You need to leave." She begged quietly and her lip was trembling. I tipped her chin up with one finger and kept my hand pressed to her cheek. She looked up with her beautiful eyes and I could see so much pain.

"Don't touch me! Get out. GET OUT, I never want to see you again. Leave me alone!" She pushed me as hard as she could and ran I to the back of the house. After my shock wore off I dropped my arms to my side and stared blankly at the wall.

Swiftly I turned and grabbed my rod from the table and marched out of the house to hurt to do anything else. I climbed into my car and peeled out down the street in anger.

If she wants me to leave her alone then fine. She would never be bothered by me again since I was such a problem for her. I pushed the pain back and replaced it with my familiar icy mask. When I returned home Yugi was asleep on the couch with her head resting in Yami's lap. He looked up at me but his eyes quickly narrowed at the sigh of me.

" don't you have a home of your own to go to. Do you think I'm running a god damn charity? GET OUT!" I screamed and Yugi jumped up afraid. Yami tried to speak some since I to me but I ignored him and pointed to the door as I stalked out of the room.

Screw having friends, screw trying to make her love me. If the world wanted me to be a heartless bastard then it was on the right track. Tomorrow I was going to fire half my staff, maybe even everyone. I didn't care about Kaiba corp. I didn't care about myself I didn't give a shit about anything. None of it mattered now. All that mattered what this gaping hole I my chest.

I threw myself on the couch that Yami ha been sharing with his light and buried my face in my arms. I couldn't have been there long when I heard the door open swiftly.

Mokuba walked in and my jaw dropped as I took in the sight of him with his hair cut shorter than I ever remember it being. Momentarily forgetting everything else that happened today I sat up shocked and took in his appearance, he looked away and shifted under my scrutiny. After a long awkward silence I sighed.

"You look so grown up." I finally said, he actually kind of looked like me and dispute the fact that I was upset that he cut his hair in the first place I took pride in how handsome of a young man he was turning out to be. But all traces of our mother had vanished with his wild raven locks.

"Yea well that was the point. I'm not a baby anymore." He muttered annoyed an began to leave the room. I called after him, in the hopes that maybe we could watch a movie together or play a game. I missed him so much and I knew he was one of the only people who would be able to cheer me up but he rolled his eyes when he looked back at me an slammed the hallway door on his way out.

I wondered idly if perhaps the problem wasn't with everyone else but with myself. I had always tried to play the part of a heartless bastard. Maybe karma was just getting me back to how I had lived my life, perhaps I was pushing those I loved away. My soul mate hated me, my brother hated me and now I had screamed at and kicked my only real friend out of my house when I was suppose to be helping him and Yugi. I was an asshole. Shit.


	15. Chapter 15

Kyrri's POV

"Kura get off." I laughed as I pushed my best friend off of me and into my brother. He chuckled and let go of us both as Yami dusted his shoulders off as if he was covered in germs. But his smile didn't last long, these days he hardly smiled and all too soon he grew quiet and Yami trailed back to walk beside him

"You ready for your first day of school?" Yugi asked me as she pushed the guys out of the way to walk by my side. I flashed her a genuine snile.

"You have no idea! My break was at least two months longer than everyone else's." I admitted while we walked in front of the boys. They let us have our fun and ended up talking about the secret master plan.

The master plan was to find a way to trap Zork so that we could extract him from Ryou's body and then seal him inside of the mellinium ring just as we had tried to do so many years ago.

Problem was that was about as far as the plan went. Without knowing where Zork was or how to capture him we were grasping at straws and even if we did know and were capable of creating a trap strong enough to contain the demon for any amount of time thre was still one more problem.

Kaiba.

He was still in America at the Kaiba corp western branch, he had left the day after... Well after our one night stand and without him there was no way that we could manage to pull this off.

I may be a priestess myself but this wasn't my area of expertise. If you thought about it like a game then I would be the cleric whist Kaiba was the offensive Mage. He was the expert on the kind of sorcery we needed to trap the demon lord who held Ryou captive.

Everything that had happened before he left was a blur, everything happening so fast. It all seemed like ancient history to me now, I barely remembered falling from the roof of the school but I defiantly remembered Seto's face when I told him I hated him. Something I wish I had never done, but even worse I could remember the love he ha for me as his hands caressed every inch of my body.

My wish was to set him free so that he could find someone that was smart and funny and amazingly beautiful and all the things I am not so that he had a shot at being happy. I knew if we ever tried to be together I would do nothin but dissapointed him.

Now after having almost three months to sort through my jumbled memory's and time to think about what I really wanted I knew, Without a shadow of a doubt that it was him. It would always be him,

I was madly in love with Seto Kaiba. My brave preist, but surely now he hated me like I had tried tried to convince him that I did. I knew in my heart I was the real reason he had fled out of the country. I was a horrible person.

But I had never meant for him to leave the country because of me. I remember the night he left all to clearly. He showed up at my house, about a month and a half after I had finally decided to go home and at first I had been angry but everything that happened with my father caused me to loose controls of my lent up emotions an I crossed te line. Now even though I wanted to find a way to fix things it wa too late.

I frowned and tugged at a lock of my long hair, I missed him like crazy. Seto Kaiba was almost all I thought about anymore and many times I had opened my phone to call him and beg him to come back. Sure that if he would just listen to how sorry I am for being so ignorant that he would forgive me. But I never dialed the number, because I'm nothing but a coward.

My stomach fluttered uneasily and I stopped walking catching everyone's attention. My face got hot and quickly covered with a thin sheen of sweat as my eyes widened. I slumped over feelin like I would vomit.

"Kye-chan are you okay?" Yugi asked as she leaned up on the tips of her toes to get closer to my face. Her eyes held a genuine concern and I was reminded again of just how thankful I was to have met her. To have abother girl to talk to.

I shook my head at her, I had been pretty honest with them about everything. After the night I almost killed myself and realized that I did actually want to live. I was given this second chance at life for a reason and it went beyond stopping Zork.

The obly thing they didn't know was my night I passion with Kaiba before he left. I couldn't bring myself to tell them what a fool I was.

Besides, as far as my upset stomach was concerned there was Concerned it wasn't anything to be worried aboht. Nerves I'm sure and I nodded as the wave of nausea passed quickly an I smiled to reassure them so we could begin our journy to school once more.

I kept quiet after that and Yugi stayed close and kept a skeptical eye on me.

"I was thinking about Kaiba." I admitted to get her of my case and the boys behind us grew quiet. Yugi nodded in understanding knowing how his absence had affected me, but It hadn't just affected me that Kaiba had left the country but all of our friends too. With Kaiba gone we couldn't stop Zork not rescue Ryou from the bastard. He was the only one who knew how to perform the eternal sealment ritual.

"I talked to him this morning." Yami said quietly looking down. I jerked my head around instantly angry that he hadn't told me sooner and he shuffled his feet guiltily.

"He came back late last night. Mokuba got into some kind of trouble and needs him here, but he wouldn't tell me what over the phone. He didn't have anything nice to say to me either, I guess he hasn't gotten over everything and it's like he is right back to being a jackass again. Though I get the feeling something is seriously wrong." He sighed and mouthed that he was sorry for not telling me sooner.

I frowned deeply, he wa back in japan? Should I call him, or wait until I saw him at work or should I just quit my job and hide from the situation forever?

Everyone left me to my thoughts the rest of te way to school and I was glad for that. I needed time to think and figure out what I really wanted to do.

When we got to school finally Yugi pulled me into the first bathroom we passed.

"I need your help!" She crude out and I noticed the anxiety ubder her collected lave deer eyes that ha been there all mornig. I smiled and place a calming hand on ER houlder.

"What's wrong Yukko?l I asked using her alias Kaiba had helped crest for her before he had left. She turned probably seven shaded of red and stared at ER feet.

"I know it's the lest day of school and everything, but I need you to come to the store with me and buy me some..." She trailed of and squeaked out an incoherent reap ve. I rolled my eyes at her and grabbed ER hand pulling her out of the bathroom.

"You know you're going to hve to get used to this eventually. You are a girl now after all." I sighed and shook my head. Yugi had seemed my help the first month after getting her own body when she started he period. She knew hat it was but had no idea how much like death a me steal cycle was and had spent the four days with me held captive at the game shop to help her through te ordeal.

There was a pharmacy ony three blocks from the school so we set out on our adventure, it shouldn't take us too long to get this done and we would make it back by the time second hour started.

"It's just so awkward." She whinnied and I smirked.

"You know having a vagina for you're entire life doesn't make it any less awkward." I defended and flicked my hair from my face.

She blushed again and this time I laughed. It was so funny to watch her cope with her new life. Though tere had been several times that I had helped her deal with the mental shock of going from being a boy to being a girl.

We dream he'd the drug store quickly and I forced her to come j side with me instead of waiting outside like she had the last three times this happened.

"Look you want to buy these. Tannins aren't something that you want to buy the cheep brand of." I pointed to a large box of the more exapincive brand.

"This is so unfair!" She wailed as she grabbed the box and crossed her arms in anger. I glanced at the price and reached out to grab a box for myself but stopped and widened my eyes.

It was August fourth, I should have had my period last month and didn't and come to think of it I don't think I had one the month before. I hadn't been paying much attention, I mean it's not like I was sexually active... Oh god.

I back counted several months using my fingers while Yugi watched me not really knowing what was going on. I recounted again and dropped my hands.

"Kyrri?" Yugi asked from beside me and she clutched her no of tampons against her chest and looked as me sheepishly trying to understand why I suddenly shut down. But I did nothing but stare at the shelf I. Front of me. Next to the sanitary pads were the pregnancy tests.

"I'm late." I whispered without looking a ER and it took her a second to connect the dots before she gasped, knowing enough about the reproductive system to realize the implications of my words.

"What? But how you haven't you know..." She asked casting her purple orbs at me suspiciously. I looked into her eyes then in fear, I had to tell her. I had to tell someone.

"I slept with Kaiba." I finally admitted and then let my face fall into my hads as I took several deep breaths to calm my nerves.

She meeped and dropped her box quickly picking it up and grabbing several of the horrid tests a she escorted me out of the store after she paid or everything.

"When?" She hissed as she drug me down te street. She wasn't mad just shocked that I ha kept something like this from her since we had become very close.

"The night before he went to america, he finally broke through my walls and I let him in but in the morning I freaked out and ran away." I said crying softly, this situation was surreal. This could not be happening!

"Where are we going Yugi?" I asked when I realized we weren't going to school. The others would surely notice our absence by now since second hour was due to start soon.

"To the shop, you're going to take these tests. Then we will go from there." She explained and I nodded to myself glad he was taking controls of this since I was still panicking internally.

Once we reached the shop she shoved me into a bathroom and instructed me to take the tests. There were three of them and I gulped and opened them all with shaking hands. Better toget this over with quickly.

When I was done I placed them all flat on the counter and exited te room to see Yugi watching me like a hawk.

"What did they say?" He asked and I shrugged without saying anythibg. I wa always most uncooperative when I was scared and most of the time refused to talk. She groaned and swing the door open. I closed my eye and heard her gasp.

She stormed out and thrust one of te tests into my hand to force me to deal with the problem and I stared at the like plus sign in hock. She snatched my phone from me and unlocked the screen and began looking through my contacts.

"Yugi stop!" I yelled as she quickly dialed Setks number. She held her arm out to keep me from grabbing my phone and waited for just a second as it rang.

The phone was thrust in my hands as it rang and I fumbled over whether or not I should hang up.

"Hello?" Kaiba barked from to he other end of te line. Too late, now I had to say somethig but I couldn't just tell him when I had ony just found out myself what ha happened because of my mistake.

"Uh.." I mumbled and slumped my shoulders. Yugi smirked smugly at me and I stuck out my tongue at her as I walked away with the phone still pressed to my ear. This had to be done, for Bakura sake and for my sanity and apparently for the sake of my... My unborn child. Oh god I felt light headed.

"Kyrri?" He asked bewildered and I heard him drop something on the other line. I felt my hands begin to shake and I stayed silent. I didn't know what to say to the man I didn't know how to stop hurting and now I was doing exactly what I wanted to acoid. A child would ruin his career and his life.

"I heard you were home. Please meet with me." I finally chocked out and realized through my sorrow that he probably didn't want anything to do with me.

"Since when does my existence matter to you?" He snapped and I imagined him putting his hand on the bridge of his nose like he always did when he snapped out of anger. I bit my lip, I deserved that. After all even if I had plenty of time to think about what it was I really wanted and what I was willing to sacrifice to see those dreams come into fulfillment, it's not like I had called him and told him that I changed my mind and just what did any of that matter now anyways? We had so many bigger problems than whether or not we had a relationsip for me to even e wording about it.

"I'm sorry." I whispered sincerely and he sighed and cleared his throat before he spoke.

"What do you want Kyrri? I have business to attend to."He asked and I could tell he was loosing patience. I didn't know what to say to him. I had been a coward for trying ignore his existence while I wrapped my head around the whole situation and I couldn't handle this with the same mistakes. I had to find a way to fix this before everything escapades out of my control.

"Honestly, I have no idea." I whispered and clutched the phone closer to my ear and began to walk away from the others. He cleared his throat and I closed my eyes.

"Well you have my number when you do. I don't have time to play games with you."I hated the way his voice sounded right now. So distant and cold, almost like he was a robot.

"Wait Seth..." I clamped my mouth closed when I accidentally used the wrong name but it accomplished stopping him from hanging up the phone. He stayed silent though and waited for me to speak again.

"I just wanted to tell you that it was a lie when I told you I hated you. I was hoping that maybe we could be friends, were king to have to have a long talk soon but if you're busy it can wait." I made sure to speak sweetly to him. I had to make this work somehow. At the very least we had to e friends right? Then I hung up the phone a he grunted out a response I couldn't hear.

Yugi frowned at me in disappointment but upon seeing my meloncholy she kept her thoughts to herself.

"I'm retry sure he hates me still." I said and felt a tear slip down my cheek. My companion put her small Han over mine and motioned me out of the shop with te encouragement that school would distract me for a little while.

My phone rang, Kaiba calling me back. I rose a brow and answered it but I didn't expect my greeting.

"No! you do not get to ignore me for a quarter of a year after I layed my heart at your feet on a silver platter and then out of the blue call me expecting me to drop everything for you. Do you have any idea what I've went through over the last four months? No you wouldn't would you because you know nothing about me or the shit happening in my life right now!" He screamed and I swallowed the whimpering cries that escaped while I let him chew me a new one. I deserved this after all, I kept him in the dark for months thinking I hated him and now I had news that would ony make him hate me more.

"Meet me somewhere so I can apologize to your face." I spoke clearly and bit my lip when he paused once more.

"You'll have to meet me at the hospital if it's so urgent that it can't wait." He finally sighed and I frowned.

"Are you okay?" I gasped and I immediately changed the direction I was walking. I heard the Yugi ca my name trying to get my attention but ignored her. This was more important than school. If I wanted him to forgive me so that we could scavenge some kind of friendship then I needed to show him he was a priority.

"No... I don't think I am." His voice hitched and the line went dead. Worried I ran faster, I wasn't too far from the hospital and I forced my legs to push me all the way to the hospital. By the time I reached the doors I was gasping for breath and covered in a thin layer of sweat.

I ran to the receptionist desk and slammed my hands down on the countertop to gain the woman's attention. She looked at me with a friendly smile.

"How can I help you miss?" She asked cheerfully.

"I'm here to see Seto Kaiba." I said swiftly as she slowly checked the files on her computer. She made a 'tsk' noise and looked back at me.

"I have a Mokuba Kaiba, he isn't able to have visitors right now though." I frowned and looked down at my hands. So it was his brother who was here not him. But of course this would be even more hurtful to him than if he was hurt.

A hand grabbed my shoulder and I whirled to stare into his cerulean eyes. His brow was drawn together in worry and he was pale. He looked absolutely terrified and miserable all at the same time. Without hesitation I flung my arms around his shoulders, wanting nothing more than to comfort him and wipe away that hallow look in his eyes.

He pushed me back and put a foot of space between us, much like I always did before when I was so confussed about the way I was suppose to feel and act. I ignored the pang of pain that shot through his heart as I realized our roles had reversed. Now that I was sure how I felt it seems that he was hesitant.

"What's wrong with Mokuba?" I asked as he led me to a corner of the waiting room and sat down next to me. He propped his elbows on his knees and his his face in his hands an for a moment I forgot all about my news.

"He overdosed." He whispered as if he couldn't believe this had happened. I placed a hand on his arm and he didn't push me away this time.

"On what?" I asked suprised, I didn't know much about the younger Kaiba but from what I had been told by the others he was a kind hearted, energetic, loving kid. Seto's shoulders began to shake.

"A lot of things. When the paramedics reached him he was completely unconscious and had had a seizure. They said he was laying in a puddle of his own vomit left in the street out front of this hospital." I watched as he curled in tighter on himself and continued to shake through his tears. I knew this was something I could not fix, all I could do was be here for him while he waited.

"He had an alcohol blood point of 0.10 and extacy in his system. They said it also seemed like he was abusing several sleeping pills. Child services have already threatened to take him away and place him in a home since I can't take care of him!" He continued and began to openly sob, it was hard for me to see this version of Seto. I was so used to being the one who broke down and him saving me that I didn't know what to say. I decided that now as absolutely not the time to tell him. He ha too much on his shoulders as it was.

"I can't loose him. He's all I have!" At this he completely broke and turned so that he could lean his head on my shoulder. I wanted to tell him he had me, that I had been foolish in the past when I tried to push him away but now wasn't the time for that either.

Instead I wove one arm awkwardly around his back since the chairs were getting in the way and the other I wrapped around his head holding him while he cried his fears away.

"It will be okay. My father had to deal with the system a lot. As long as you and Mokuba show your willingness to cooperate and he wants to seek help then they won't take him away." I tried to sooth but he shook his head with the knoll age I had from growing up with my dad. Seto of course knew some but not everything that happened.

"I left my fourteen year old brother alone for almost three months all the while he needed me, and when I wasn't there for him he turned to drugs. I don't deserve to keep him." My eyes widened at the raw emotion in his shaking voice. I understood how he felt, unworthy and helpless and full of shame.

"What about your parents?" I asked confussed. I knew now that he was twenty three years old and that his birthday was in two month in october. So it's not like he wasn't an adult or capable of taking care of a child but I didn't understand why all the responsibility was in him.

He shot me a dirt look and I shrunk back a little his eyes were furious and he made sure when he spoke I would remember the way he sounded and the look he led.

"Our parents died when I was just a boy, I've basically raise him sk ve I was fourteen alone." He closed his eyes then and rested his head back on his knuckles and took several breaths to calm his nerves.

"I'm sorry." I whispered hoping that those words alone were enough to bridge the distance between us so that I could comfort him.

"Ahem, Mr Kaiba..." Someone spoke and he snapped up to look at the doctor who stared down at us with no emotion what so ever.

"Mokuba has been stabilized, his stomach had to be pumped and he will be able to discharge into the care of your personal doctor, but he needs someone to stay with him over the next few days while he withdraws from the toxins he consumed. Were you aware of his drug abuse?" Asked the doctor asked and Seto shook his head from side to side so fast I though he would get whiplash.

"I spoke to him every night but I had no idea. Not even the housework noticed anything too strange. Just that he was moody an stayed in his room a lot, but we all assumed that this was just normal mood changes of a pubescent boy." Kaiba explained in exasperation and I got the feeling that he was uncomfortable when forced to explain himself in such a way.

The doctor nodded and wrote something down on a piece of paper.

"This is a prescription for Methadone. It's a synthetic form of methamphetamine used to help deal with the withdraws of the drug leaving the system. Normally I would insist that the addict withdraw naturally but with someone so young..." He trailed off and I noticed for the first time some genuine emotions under his controlled doctor face.

"Methamphetamine?" Kaiba squeaked completely out of character, his eyes were wide and fearful as he clutched the prescription in his hands.

"Yes. Tests proved that what caused the seizure was the combination of the MDMA sometimes referred to as extacy and the methamphetamine in his blood. Also I think it would be a good idea to get him set up with a counselor to help him work through this." He straightened up and straightened his lab coat. Kaiba nodded again and turned towards me as the doctor began to walk away with the words that Mokuba could be seen.

"Seto?" I asked as he stayed quiet just staring at the little l

Piece of paper in his hands. I had never seen this look in his eyes. Not even in Egypt as a child he had always held this authority in his eyes. He always seemed so much older than he actually was. But now he reminded me of a kid.

"I never imagined... I was so worried about my own problems...too caught up in your ghost to notice my Mokuba... My baby brother..." He clutched his head with his hands and I looked away. He was right of course this was partially my fault. If I hadn't screwed with his head so much he would have been there for his family.

" I'm sorry." I trembled as I began to step back. I wasn't planning to leave I just didn't know what to do to comfort him or how to handle this. Maybe I should have thought about this all for a few days before I true to see him, or maybe it would be better if I dissapeared again and just raised this baby on our own.

He whirled around with a guilty look and grabbed my wrist pulling me closer to him and crushing me between his strong arms in a hug. This time I had the brain function to react and I returned the gesture confussed.

"I don't know what you came for. I don't even care, please just don't leave me here to deal with this alone. I can't be strong anymore. I don't know how to face this alone." He sobbed into my shoulder, I held him while I endured the stares of the many people in the waiting room only just realizing what a scene we must be causing. The most successful man in the world known for being a heartless bastard a broken mess in the arms of a seventeen year old girl who coincidentally just so happened to be pregnant with his baby. holy shit my life was turning into a soap opera...

"As long as you need me I will be beside you." I whispered and he reacted physically to the words he had spoken to me so long ago in our last life. He recovered from his episode quickly as dried his tears.

"Sorry." He admitted sheepishly only just now noticing the people watching us. He kinda looked cute when he was nervous. I smiled to let him know it was okay and he motioned for us to go see his brother.

Seto's POV

Kyrri's presence behind me confussed me but it also gave me strength. Right now I felt like a weak moron, I could deal with a phycopath being my father an taking over multimillion dollar company, with being an ancient priest who ended holding the burden of a whole country on my shoulders, but I could not handle this.

Mokuba was unconscious when we entered the room but I was shocked at how much his appearance had changed. His skin was thin and his cheek bones were sharp as they jutted out under his skin. I ran my hand over his rib cage and felt a tear escape as my fingers ran over each rib.

He was tiny, and not just because he had always been small in stature. Actually I'm pretty sure he had grown an inch or two in the time I was gone. It was his weight that was drastically lower than when I left.

It was obvious he wasn't eating or sleeping by The look of his purple eye lids. I grabbed his hand and squeezed tightly.

"Moki... I swear I will never abandon you again." I whispered as I kissed his cheek softly. I looked up at Kyrri to see her watching me with a soft smile and admiration in her shining crimson eyes. I ignored this not having time to think about our bipolar relationship.

It was true what I said earlier about how she had no idea what I had went through. While I was a successful man I was still practically a child. No one held any respect for me in America and though I had managed to build a whole new empire from the ground up it was a struggle every step of the way. Much harder than taking over Kaiba corp had been.

But it wasn't just the buisness world that had been a struggle for me. While half a world away from my family and my friends I had suffered conpletey alone.

Many nights I had ended up in one of the local bars drinking myself into oblivion to escape te pain I suffered through.

I could remember one night in particular that I had tried over and over again to forget about my life with Kyrri. It was like a slap in the face to realize how weak I had become, just how far I had fallen.

The next morning I had awoken in the hospital. Apparently having been attacked and according to the doctors and since I was drunk when it happened I couldn't heal myself.

Of course I had immediatly been put through several tests to make sure there wa no lasting effects frow having my head wing at by a metal crowbar. Then I canceled my credit cards and booked a flight home deciding America was not the place for me.

It was proven to me that I was weak, unable to handle my own emotions. Unable to protect myself even though I had been trained in martial arts and had learned to control my magic without the use of my rod. I was still angry at my friends but I had realized that I didn't amount to much without them and my company behind me.

So just like the coward I was I packed my bags and booked my flight home and swore that I would forget everything that happened in America.

I hired a much older buisness man to take my place in the western branch and prepared to go home and forget about the nightmare I just survived. Even if I was too drunk to remember the act of violence it had shaken me to the core.

It was actually on my way home that I revived a call from the hospital. Apparently Mokuba had been found unconscious on the ground outside of the emergency unit. Abandoned there by whoever he had gotten the drugs from I assumed.

After that I called Yami to tell him I was returning home but I ended up snapping at him like the old me would have. I had called him a traitor for never being there when I needed him. Even if he didn't know what I was even referring too.

"Seto..." She whispered softly beside me as I realize I hadn't spoken in a long while now. I looked away from Mokuba and back at her to see worry written all over her face.

"Don't take this the wrong way, because I need to know... But why now? You shunned me for months and then all of the sudden expect me to welcome you with open arms?" I questioned but made sure that my voice was open and my face clear of any hurt. I wasn't trying to fight but before I moved forward I had to know for sure he wouldn't just drop me again when she got bored. It was clear to me that if I didn't start protecting myself that I would only end up hurt in the end and since I didn't like to hide behind my emotionless mask like a coward anymore I had to face these kinds of things head on.

She frowned but didn't loose eye contact with me and I watched her while she sorted her thoughts. She wrung her hands around guiltily.

"I was scared, and I acted out of fear to protect myself or so I thought but I only ended up in more pain and worst of all I hurt you. Which is the opposite of what I was trying to do, but to answer your question something came to my attention that couldn't be ignored." She admitted sadly and looked away, this didn't make much sense to me though.

"What does that even mean Kyrri?" I asked frustrated at her for not spelling it out in a clearer way. She didn't say anything at first and I thought she was going to ignore me but then slowly she took my hand that wasn't occupied with Mokuba and intertwined her fingers with my own. I looked up into her face to see silent tears falling from her closed eyes, she was trembling.

"Worry about Mokuba for now. I'm not going anywhere so I promise that we will have time to work through everything." She mumbled as she used her free arm to wipe away her tears. She put on a strong determined face but didn't let go of my hand.

"Just tell me one thing, what exactly do you want from me?" I asked and held my breath, I had to clear that up and make sure she wasn't going to hurt me again. With everything else going on I don't think I could handle her changing we mind on me again.

"I just want to earn back your trust." She smiled even though there was still mosture in her eyes. Despite the situation I smiled back slowly. That was probably the best answer she could give me right now. I wasn't sure if either of us were relationship material anymore, but this was a good first step in any case.

Several hours passed as I sat and watched my poor brother toss and turn thrashing wildly out in his sleep. Sometimes he made noises while others he cried out about the burning under his skin, or the bugs inside his head. It was torturero watch him suffer.

He had been home for a little over a day but still hadn't completely regained consciousness yet. I hadn't left his side since Kyrri and Akamenatsu had helped me get him home and comfortable.

The doctor told me he would come three times a day to check on Mokuba and that he would cancel any out of town visits so that he would ba available on the drop of a dime.

Kyrri had stayed with me the entire first night he was home. We barely spoke she just watched me watch my only brother and stood by for emotional support while he came down from the drugs in his system.

-flashback-

"SETO!l Mokuba scremed as his body shook with violent tremors and he thrashed around under the blanket. His short hair matted to his face with sweat and his skin had an almost green hue to it. He began to vomit and I quickly lifted his head and helped him aim it off of the bed and into a small trash can Kyrri carried in to the room.

As I laid him back against the pillows and pulled back I stood and stalked across my room towards my suitcases the butler had put away for me when I returned home.

I could feel Kyrri's eyes on me as I pulled out the rod and walked back to Mokuba intent to heal this affliction.

"Seto no, don't." She said as she place her hand over the rod to lower it and stop me. I eyed her like she was crazy and glared as I shrugged my item out of we grasp.

"Listen, if you heal this affliction from him he will never learn. You have to understand that when you're messed up on these kinds of drugs you're in a euphoric state. If he doesbt full grasp how painful it truely is he will just turn right back to the drugs for comfort." She rushed to explain to me and I stopped giving her words consideration, as much as I hated the idea of watching him suffer even a second longer she was right. This was a battle Mokuba had to fight through. But I wouldn't let him do it alone and she seemed just as determined to stand by me as I was to stay with him. I lowered my rod sadly.

"How do you know so much about this kind of thing? I finally asked to break the awkward silence that was hanging between us. She looked down at my brother then with a deep sadness in her eyes andI was shocked quiet at the intensity as she spoke.

"My father was a drug addict before..." She whispered and I took note that she couldn't look me in he eyes as she said it and . But I didn't question her much more about it. I could tell she was unconfortable and for now it was enough to know that he understood what it was like to watch a loved one go through this sort of thing.

-end flashback-

Now she was asleep sitting up in a chair with her head leaned against the wall and I sighed before I stood up. Mokuba was relaxed fully in a deep sleep so I knew it was okay to leave him for a moment.

"Hey wake up." I whispered as I gently shook her shoulder to rouse her from sleep. She opened her eyes slowly looking around confused before she realized where she was.

"How is he?" She asked as she stretched her arms out above her head. I notice for the first time she was wearing her school uniform only she had taken the jacket off several hours ago. I immediatly zoned in on her arms conpletely clear of cuts, this made me smile.

"He is sleeping peacefully now. Still running a fever though..." I sighed and she nodded and stood up slowly.

"He will for a few days, and stomach cramps he will probably still be delusional when he wakes up." She informed and dusted her self off even though she wasn't actually dirty. Probably because she had been wearing the same cloths for over 24 hours.

Suddenly she paled visably and a panicked look overcame her features. I took a step towards her as she ran into the bathroom that adjourned my room. Since she had been here almost a day and a half while I watched Mokuba she knew where it was.

I walked I the door that was adjar and saw her voniting into the toilet violently. I waited by the door but I watched her wih a worried look on my face as she wiped her mouth and then used water from the sink that she cupped in her hads to rinse her mouth out. I leaned into the room and pushed a bottle of mouth wash at her and he grumbled a thanks at me.

"Are you okay?" I asked as she came out with a sour look on her face and her brows knit together.

"Yea I'll be fine. Just because I haven't eaten in a while." She complained an I mumbled an apology since I hadn't even thought about food for her and myself so caught up with Mokuba's recovery.

"Do you want me to drive you home and I can get you something to eat on the way?" I asked awkwardly. I wasn't sure how to deal with her after everythig that had transpired between us over the last few months. As much as I wanted to pull her into my arms and forget all the unpleasantness of the situation I know that now wasn't the time for such things, and besides even if she was being nice to me I highly doubted she wanted the same things as I did our of our relationship.

"Could I stay until school?" She asked sheepishly and my eyes widened. I checked the clock and saw that it was about four thirty in the morning.

"I guess that would be acceptable. Come with me I need a cup of coffee. Or ten."I said and led her into the kitchen that was on the second floor. This was the one Mokuba and I used the most, while the cook use the down stairs kitchen for meals.

She stayed quiet and it was beginning to put me in a state I unease. Why does it have to be so hard to be around her.

"Are you sure you're hungry after throwing up Kyrri?" I asked and looked her over. She frowned and nodded.

"I suppose it has been a while since I ate." She admitted and smiled as she took a seat at the small table.

"I have to admit as grand as the rest of the house is I expected more out of the kitchen." She teased while she folded her hands and waited for me to continue digging through the fridge. I shot her a dirty look and smirked.

"It's better than your kitchen." I defended not mentioning that there was a grand dining room and a top of the line kitchen on the first floor and she laughed agreeing with me.

"Well not everyone can be rich." She said as she picked at her fingernails. I watched her as she quietly smirked at me, a very good smirk if I do say so myself. Coming from an expert.

"All the more for me then." I chuckled and pulled my ingredients from the fridge and cabinet. She snorted but didn't comment. I forced myself not to look at her, I couldn't let her presence get the better of me.

I pulled out a sautéing pan and put some butter on a low heat. Then I busied myself with chopping garlic and some fresh basil.

I placed two boneless chicken breasts that were butterfly cut in the pan and then put some sea salt and black pepper and thre in the garlic an herbs. Setting the heat even lower I pulled out a rice boiler and got it set up so that the rice would be done around the same time as the chicken. It seeme a little weird to eat chicken so early in the morning but since neither of us had eaten recently I figured that the protein would be good.

I knew I had to face her then, with nothing left to do so I turned to find her watching me with wide eyes and a blush spread across her cheeks. I froze up nervously unable to do anything but stare into her bright ruby eyes as she looked into my soul.

"Ahem..." I cleared my throat and lowered my gaze to my feet so she couldn't look me in the eye anymore. What's wrong with me, the great Seto Kaiba too timid to raise my eyes.

"I didn't know you could cook it already smells amazing!" She chirped kindly and smiled at me. I got the sense that she was trying to change the subject for my benefit it but I took the bait.

"While I was in America I lived in a one bedroom flat. A very nice flat mind you but I didn't see a reason to eat out every night. So I learned to cook." I explained actually somewhat proud of myself that I had learned to take care of myself. Sur I would always be financially secure. But now I knew that I could e alone, if I had to be of course this was ignoring the horrid ending of my time there.

I turned my coffee pot on so I would be able to have it by the time the food was done and continued contemplating.

I always felt alone while growing up even though I was surrounded by tutors and the house help. Mokuba was all I ever had once our parents died, until I regained my memories. But somehow that made me even more sorrowful.

I didn't have Kyrri even though she was right in front of me. I remembered how close me and Yami had once been as children. But now it was a struggle for me to keep that friendship.

When I decided to leave we ended up getting in a huge argument over the phone. He told me I was a coward and that there were people here that needed me. How right he had been.

Even when I called him halfway home from America hysterical after I had been informed about Mokuba but when he had answered the phone hearing his voice just made me angry. I had been trying to forget all about this whole mess, Egypt and everything.

"Hey you okay?" She asked as she reached a hand out across the table to touch my own hand catching my attention. But she stopped halfway and looked up into my eyes.

"Seto I want to apologize to you about what I said before." She kept eye contact and I could see the sincerity of her word shining in the beautiful orbs.

"Don't. It doesn't matter anymore." I mumbled and stared at her hand that was still hovering halfway across the table almost as if she had forgotten it.

"No please just let me speak. It does matter. It matters to me, I'm sorry I should have never told you I hated you Kaiba. Because I could never hate you and I'm sorry about leaving you after ah..." She reached cutting her own sentance off with a blush, her extended hand and place it over mine. I looked down at it relishing the warmth of her soft skin against my own. But I couldn't think clearly, with her touching me so I shrugged her hand off and pulled both of my hands under the table.

"How do I believe you, I remember the way you looked at me. There was real hatred in your eyes that night, but when you looked at the others... Yami, Yugi who you didn't even know and even the damn tomb raider... You were happy to see everyone. Everyone but me and then just when I thought that finny you felt the same way you left me with nothing but painful memories." I whispered quietly. I didn't want to believe her because I was afraid. I hated feeling so weak but I just couldn't handle her breaking my heart again.

She stood and turned but didn't walk away. Instead she drew her arms up over her chest and bowed her head down. With shock I watched as her shoulders began to shake and small sobs sounded from her small frame and she tightly wrapped her arms around her mkdsection. My eyes widened and I forgot whatever I was thinking as I stood myself.

"Kyrri?" I asked reaching my hand out over the small distance between us and placed it on her shoulder turning her around slowly. Tears poured from her eyes and dropped down her cheeks as she squinted her eyes closed. My heart beat painfully and I panicked. I didn't know what to do, I wanted to wipe her tears away and hold her until they subsided but I didn't want her to push me away like every time before.

"I hated myself, I... I looked like that because I was so fucking scared that I wasn't good enough... For you. I... I wanted you to have better, the life you deserve... I hated myself so much for not being good enough for you... And I was so afraid of how much it would hurt me to loose you that's why I left." She grabbed my shoulders tightly while she hiccuped her way through her explanation more tears replacing the already fallen.

"You thought that I was too good for you?" I asked without moving. I couldn't even fathom how she could think something like that, she was absolutely the most amazing person I ever had the pleasure to meet.

"There's a lot you don't know about me Kaiba. Things most people can't handle, and I didn't want to face your rejection once you found out." She wasn't looking at me anymore, her long hair covering her eyes as she looked at the floor.

"You didn't even give me a chance. You didn't even give us a chance." I said trying to wrap my head around everything. This was so sudden, but she seemed so genuine and I wanted to believe her so bad but so much had happened to me in the last six months and some of it I wasn't even close to being over. Suddenly her words made sense and I thought maybe I understood where she was coming from.

"I know. I'm a coward, I had a lot of time to think and all I ever thought about was you."Another sob wrecked through her body and her hands were still stretched up to clutch my shoulders.

"I lost my one and only chance to show how you how very important you are... An now there's no way we can ever be a family." She cried as she carried on and I crinkled my brow in confusion. A family? Why would she say something like that? She really didn't hate me, she hated herself. She wanted to be with me, she was just afraid she wanted a family. My eyes widened, surely she wouldn't say something like that if she didn't mean it.

"Kyrri." I said softly and she raised her head up extremely slow but as soon as her gaze met mine once more I leaned forward and capured her plump lips against my own. She gasped into the kiss but once her shock ebbed away she leaned forward and closed her eyes. It was a sweet kiss, full of passion but timid and tender.

"The chicken." She reminded with a red face as she leaned away and I jumped back to the stove having conpletely forgot that I was cooking. Luckily nothing was burned and I turned the heat off of the rice maker and the stove. I pulled two plates from the cabinet and put rice on rack one and one of the chicken breast on top of each one.

When I turned around she was quiet again and refused to look at me. I sighed and reached a hand out to touch her face.

"I'm sorry I'm just so scared." She admired and frowned. I pulled her into my arms, she was right and I was afraid too but all I wanted was her.

"We have a lot of things to talk about and a lot more troubles to face. But I would rather do it at your side than on my own." I leaned my head on the top of her and held her tightly.

"First you need to worry about Mokuba." She said as she leaned back and took her seat in front of the meal I prepared for us. I nodded, of course she was right. For now we could wait and deal with everything later when I had Mokuba back to his cheerful self.

"I don't know how to handle him anymore. He was always such a good kid, but somewhere along the line he started to push me away and I feel like I've lost him completely. I'm a horrible brother, I didn't even know he was using drugs! How can I raise him right if I don't even recognize when something is wrong?" I asked as I stared down at my own food suddenly not hungry. She sat her fork down while I was talking and I could tell she was thinking hard about what I had said before she answered.

"When my dad started drinking I had no idea. By the time I knew he was drinking he was already hooked on meth. By the time I really knew what was going on it was too late. I don't think it's too late for Mokuba. I don't know him but from everything I've heard from the others he is a good person. My father isn't a good person and I think that is where the difference lies." She sounded very tired while she spoke and I think she was choosing her words carefully as if she didn't want to tell me everything. I'm sure it was much worse than she was making it out to be.

"Why didn't you left for good before things escalated?" I asked and she grimaced and flinched. Obviously I asked a question she hadn't expected me to.

"Because it's all my fault." She hissed and balled her fists up with a dark look in her eyes I opened my mouth to ask what she meant but she cut me off.

"My mother hated me, from the moment I was born. Apparently she had postpartum depression that went unchecked and eventually she was just alway depressed. It she made it clear that she never wanted me. When I turned six she killed herself by overdosing on a buch of pills. I mean the day I turned six on my birthday. After that he was never the same and I can't just abandon him even if I am afraid of him..." She trained off and looked at me shocked as she covered her mouth. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"That's not your fault. You didn't kill her yourself! Besides if he was a real parent he would have picked himself up and done right by you. When my mother died giving birth to Mokuba I was ten. And when our father died in a car crash three years later I was all he had. I did everythig in my power to give him the life he deserved and look where I am now. I took over a whole company at the age of sixteen to be the parent Mokuba didn't have. Your telling me that you think it's your fault he doesn't have the balls to man up for his own flesh and blood?" I asked after my rant and she shook her head my words affecting her.

"I'm not his flesh and blood. My mother was raped and that's how I was conceived. My father decided to stay with her because he loved her but when she commuted suicide he lost his mind to grief but he didn't abandon me and I didn't abandon him. I just banishe him to eternal damnation." She said firmly and I almost glared, somehow she managed to get me riled up so

after a moment she nodded to herself deciding that out conversation was over she smiled an took a huge bite of the food. I watched her as we ate in silence and it was hard to believe she was actually here.

"Oh my gosh it's almost seven already! I have to go to school. I don't want to miss my whole senior year." She teased and jumped up. I too stood and decided I would clear the plates up later.

"Come here." I opened my arms and she came right into them wrapping her own around my waist.

"Seto, I want to take things slow. I am the same person, but yet I'm a whole new Kyrri and I want to fall in love with Seto Kaiba slowly while I remember why I loved you before. Besides things are going to change soon..." She said meekly as she nuzzled her face into my shirt. I smiled tenderly down at her an ruffled her hair affectionately wondering what she meant by change, regardless in this moment I wasn't questioning anything. A log a she didn't dissapeared again then we could make this work.

"That sounds like a perfect idea. I'll call a limo for you so you have time to go home and change before class starts." I suggested and she nodded as she held my hand. This was nice, having her near me was wonderful. But I had more important things to worry about. Mokuba was still asleep in my room. Surely he would be waking up soon an I needed to give him my full attention.

"I'll call you tonight." I said and placed a light kiss on her cheek as she departed. After she was gone I made a glass I water and walked back upstairs to my room where Mokuba had thrashed around until he was hanging off the bed so he was leaned over the trash can unconscious.

I quickly sat the water down on the bedside table and rushed forward to lift him back on the bed. He had thrown up again but made it into the bucket. I took it to the bathroom and rinsed it out before I carried it back.

His eyes were open when I walked back into the room but they were sunken in and dull.

"Mokuba." I gasped as I touched his four head. After the cold shoulder he had been giving me lately I expected him to get angry but instead he looked away with tears in his eyes.

"Big brother... It hurts so much." He wailed and I pulled him into my arms and began to rock him back and forth like I used to when he would have nightmares. His short wild hair rubbed against my face.

"I know but I'm here for you Moki. I just need you to know that." I whispered and continued to rock him until he fell asleep.

Somehow I felt better about everything if only a little bit. I didn't pretend that any of this would be easy but I'll be damned if Seto Kaiba ever have up at anything.

(THIS CHAPTER WAS CHAGED) please reread if you haven't seen the changes.

Kry: well that was it! Sorry for the word count as the halfway point in the story I had too much to explain to shorten it anymore. I promise you will get some more Yugi time next chapter an of course some Bakura as well. Please review, I need your reviews to go on. :)


	16. Chapter 16

Kry: So lots of changes lately. If any of you read the last three chapter I posted 14, 15, 16 then you probably need to reread because I tore them apart and edited my plot structure like a am man. Woman.

Still looking for a delendable beta.

I do not own YuGiOh, damn it.

Jou's POV

I departed the air port in New York with a serious migraine. Spending the last fifteen hours crammed into the over crowded plane was awful and I'm pretty sure I have jet lag.

I smiled despite my discomfort as I took in the sights around me. I wa born in Brooklyn but moved with me dad to domino when I wa really small. It was exciting to be on my native soul and as I was escorted to my destination via cab I paid close attention to my surroundings.

I had saved money for this trip all summer and was even missing my first day of school just so that I could visit Anzu. She hadn't been able to come home for the vacation so I decided to suprise her.

"Here we are buddy." The cab driver gridded and turned to face me and held his hand out for te cash. Luckily I had exchanged most of my money from yen to American currency. I handed him his mileage and tips and gave a stiff sounding thanks since my English was pretty rusty.

I looked at the apartment building that stretch far into the sky. It seemed like every building here wa at least twice te size of Kaiba corp. I walked inside and found the desk in the center of the lobby.

I walked up and handed the secretary the address for the room I was seeking and she directed me how to get there without getting lost.

Choosing the elevator over the stairs I smiled and felt butterfly's in my stomach the higher I got up the sky scraper. I was in the 45th floor when the elevator stopped and I exited. Walking down to the door that had 45/A12 written across it I knocked lightly. I almost felt like I might throw up I was so excited. I hadn't seen my girlfriend since we had gotten together the last time she was able to visit over Christmas almost two years ago.

I heard fumbling from the otherwise and then a click as the lock was unlocked. When Anzu opened the door she was shocked silent. This was so was I as I took in her apperance. Her hair was longer and her eyes still brilliant blue, but her torso was bulging. She no longer had the body of a dancer, no more like the body of a heavily pregnant woman.

"What. The. Fuck." I spat out, not even as a question jus that those were the only words I could formulate. Her mouth popped open into an 'o' shape as my eyes narrowed dangerously at her.

"Jou oh my god! What are you doing here?" She cried and backed up several steps letting the door open conpletely. She wrapped her arms around her stomach.

"No fuck that, who? Huh tell me who you fucked Anzu!" I demanded coldly and motioned towards her gut. My hands were shaking and I could feel myself boiling inside. She shook her head.

"It doesn't matter!" She yelled and leaned forward to grab my hand in her small ones. I jerked out of her grasp and glared at her in disgust.

"It doesn't matter? IT DOESNT MATTER? You're pregnant and it sure as hell isn't mine!" I screamed as loud as my voice could get and made a fist slamming it against her wall. She flinched and started sobbing.

"One more week damn it. If you would have waited one more week I would have had this bastard and given it up for adoption. Then you would never have had to know, please Jou, please forgive me." She begged and tried to touch me once again. I had to restrain myself not to hit her as my rage overcame me.

"Get your hands off me you slut!" I screamed again and then turned bolting from the room. She yelled after me desperately but I didn't look back. I reached te elevator but when it didn't come fast enough I ended up running down the stairs. I only made it about seven floors before I was panting and felt hot tears of frustration flow down my cheeks.

How could she? How fucking could she do this to me. I was helping her pay for her dance school, I had always been here for her in every way I could. I hadn't had sex in almost a year an a half and trust me I had opportunities. That didn't matter though, what mattered is that it was over. My heart ached and I slumped against the wall.

After I caught my breath I stood up and slowly made my way to the elevator. Pressing the button probably thirty times while I waited for the elevator to come. Once I was back on the first floor I started running again. I had to put as much distance between me and her as I possibly could.

My phone vibrated and I answered it with out looking thinking for sure it was Anzu and I was ready to rip her a new one now that I was safely away and wouldn't hurt her physically.

"What the hell do you want you worthless whore?" I shouted and heard a gasp from te other side.

"Jou!" Yugi shrieked and I held the phone back as she yelled at me. I grunted and slowed down to a walk as I waited for Yugi to take a breath so I could get a word in edge wise.

"I thought you were someone else." I growled but didn't actually apologize, still to angry to think that far. Yugi paused for a moment. Before speaking again.

"I called to see how you trip is going..." Yugi trailed off awkwardly and I nodded to myself. She had asked me to call her when I arrived so everyone knew I made it safely.

"Fucking awful. Just got here, on my way back to the air port now to come home. Fuck this shit I'm done." I ranted and she stayed quiet until I was done.

"Did something happen with Anzu?" She finally asked, her voice full of concern.

"You're damn right somethig happened. The bitch is pregnant Yugi, and that not even he worst part. She told me that she was planning on giving the baby up for adoption just so that I would never have to know. She lied to me for months and was planning to lie to me forever." I stopped walking and hailed a cab quickly telling them I needed to go to the airport.

"Oh no Jou, I'm so sorry. How could she do something like that?" She asked clearly as shocked as I had been. Wasn't Anzu the one who was always going on an on about trust an friendship and morals.

"You know what Yug, don't be sorry. Her loss right." I said as I began to calm down some. Yugi agreed with me and then asked me when I thought I would be home. I explained that I wasn't sure when the next flight out was but that without any layovers it as about an eleven hour flight.

"Please be safe Jou, and when you get back how's about we get the gang together and have a movie night?" She suggested and I smiled, it had been a really long time since we last got together like that and it didn't emboldened studieng .

"Sure buddy that sounds great." I said and then we said our goodbyes and I got off the phone.

Finally at the airport I paid this cab driver for the drive and stalked angrily out of the cab and into the busy air port. Exchanging my ticked that was meant for three days from now to today was a pain in the ass and it took the rest of my money in fees to get it done. Looks like I won't be eating on the flight home. Wonderful.

Yugi's POV

I sat my phone down sadly and closed my eyes thinking of my best friend. How horrible of Anzu to do such a thing, Jou had done so much for her and it seemed like she had just been using him the whole time.

I sighed in relief that even though everyone else around me was falling pregnant that I was not. I don't think I could handle that, I mean I'm pretty accepting of my female body now but I just didn't think that was something I could ever go through. Yami and I weren't even sleeping together. Yet.

"Yugi are you alright?" Yami whispered as he wove his arms around my waist and nuzzled my now jet black hair. I leaned into the familiar touch and sighed, we had easily fallen into our relationship having already been so close before I was granted a body.

"Jou is going to come home early." I said and shifted out of his grasp so that I could finish putting on my school uniform. I had real sympathy for the girls now, this skirt was ridiculously short even on someone as small as me.

"Did something happen?" He questioned as he put on his leather boots and began strapping them up. I nodded and turned to face the mirror that I had recently hung up in our shared room. The longer I was a girl the more I worried about if my hair was brushed or if my shirt was buttoned wrong. Things that had never bothered me before.

I brushed my hair into a short ponytale. Since I kept it straitened to keep people from asking about it's odd shape it was longer looking but still only shoulder length.

"She cheated on him and got pregnant. Apparently that's why she's seemed distant to him lately. She was going to put the poor child up for adoption so she didn't have to tell him." I filled in and then put on my own shoes, plane black flats.

"Wow, poor Jou." He sighed as he watched me finish getting ready.

"Speaking of that, I was wondering why I found pregnancy tests in the bathroom trash? You do know that you can't have a baby without having sex right?" He asked with a sly smile and a sexy waggle of the brow and I smacked him on the shoulder with a huff.

"Of course I know that you blockhead. Those weren't mine." I said and began straightening my mini skirt and then put my jacket on. At first he smiled at my teasing but then almost with an audible 'pop' his mouth opened.

"Wait... If they weren't you're then that means their..." He trailed off an ran out of the room suprising me. I quickly ran out of the room too find him digging through the bathroom trash. He pulled out a test using a clean piece of toilet paper to hold it and then as soon a he read it he threw it back into the trash in anger.

"I am going to KILL Kaiba when I find him!" He growled an I had to wrap my arms around him to keep him from charging out of the house to assumably hunt down Seto and chop off his balls.

"Please just give her a chance to tell him herself. She is having a hard enough time with this as it is, if you storm to Kaiba corp guns blazing all you will do is cause her more stress!" I rushed trying to calm his fury. I had expected this, besides the fact that they were twins everyone was more protective of her than we normally would be just because we had all seen her at her worst.

"How long did you know?" He asked and I realized that even more than he was mad at Seto he was mad at me for not telling him. I lowered my head sadly.

"I found out the day before yesterday when we skipped first and second hour, I asked her to help me buy sanitary products and when we got the the drug store she almost had a panic attack when she realized that she was late." I explained but didn't look up at him to gauge his reaction. His shoulders relaxed a bit as he turned fully to face me.

"But why didn't you tell me?" He asked in a small voice, I hadn't ever really hidden things from him. We shared everything about ourselves.

"I just didn't think it was my secret to tell. She hasn't even talked to me about it, every time I bring it up she closes herself off and she hasn't returned my calls since she went to meet Kaiba." I said finally raising my eyes to meet his, worry etched his perfect brow and his crimson eyes were narrowed in deep thought.

"I know you're mad at me, maybe I should have told you yesterday but Kyrri is the only friend I have that's a girl. I don't want to loose her friendship by betraying her trust. If I didn't have her when I first got this body I don't know what I would have done." I explained self-consciously shifting my feet and pouting up at him. His gaze softened and he touched my face gently brushing strands of my now wavy bangs out of my face.

"Sometimes I forget how hard these last few months have been on you. It easy to forget when you smile so radiantly." He leaned forward an placed a gentle kiss against my lips.

I melted into him and wrapped my arms around his waist. Moments like this were rare, though we were officially dating now Yami seemed so awkward sometimes, but he always reassured my doubts by explaining that he had never had time for romance in his past life and he didn't know how to express his affection properly. I smiled into our kiss, it was no bother to me. I knew how deeply his feelings ran.

When we parted I shifted to fix my cloths and make sure my hair was back in place.

"You look amazing Yugi, come on let's go." He reassured and led me away from the bathroom. I laughed and let him gently push me down the stairs and out of the front door.

"Hey!" Yami and I both jumped as Kyrri popped up out of nowhere with a massive smile on Her face. Today she left her long hair down except her bangs were clipped out of her face making a little bump on the top of her head. Her eyes were sparkling and she cocked her head to the side as she giggled at us getting startled.

Yami hugged her happily and smiled back as they looked into each other's matching eyes. After a moment he stepped back to me and grabbed my hand. I was glad that he was able to act like he was oblivious of her predicament.

"Good morning." She gushed as she leaned back on her heals in excitment. I had never seen her this hyper, or her smile for so long at once.

"Apparently." I chuckled at her silliness and leaned on the wall outside of the shop while we waited on Bakura to meet us, it's funny how quickly we had integrated him into our dysfunctional group of friends.

Bakura was a lot different than I expected him to be. It's a shame we didn't get to know the real Bakura under better circumstances. He was actually pretty kindhearted now that he was away from Zork. Though he was pretty miserable without Ryou, we all figured out relatively fast that he wasn't one to ask for comfort on his own and would try to laugh his way out of a situation that made him unconfortable. So it was pretty hard to get him to talk about how Ryou's absence was affectin him even if we could see it when he thought no one was watching.

Kyrri looked at the clouds above up and smiled again as she hummed to herself, it was so out of character for her to seem so carefree especially under the circumstances we discovered the day before yesterday. I narrowed my eyes sucpisiously at her.

"How did your talk with Seto go? You missed the first day of classes." I asked and watched as she burned red and looked at her feet while she tugged at a lock I her hair. I widened my eyes, this was a new reaction out of her. Yami smiled smugly.

"Well... Uh, he has a lot going on right now. So we haven't had a chance to really sort things out." She mumbled still not looking away from her red converses.

"Don't give me that crap, I know something happened." I said slyly and leaned forward on my toes to get within a few inches of her face. She turned even redder almost matching her exotic eyes and looked away.

"Something may have happened." She whispered and pouted at my scrutiny. Yami rolled his eyes at me and whispered the word dramatic. Without missing a beat I smacked him with my school bag and kept my focus on my friend.

"Spill." I demanded and she sighed and kicked the sidewalk with the tip of her foot. I smiled deviously at her making sure she had no choice but to tel me.

"He may have kissed me and I may or may not have reciprocated." She admitted sheepishly and I grinned triumphantly. Yami too had a happy smile plastered on his face as he place a hand on her shoulder in a silent show of support. Well that was at least a step towards a positive outcome but I really thought she should tell him quickly. She hadn't expressed any concern but I knew from the time line she had given that she was almost three months pregnant. She was running out of time.

"Damn it!" Bakura shouted from behind us and we turned to see him whip out his wallet. He handed thirty dollars to Yami who smirked and Kyrri glared at them.

"Were you guys betting on my love life?" She wailed and looked between them both back and forth. Bakura laughe and bolted, while Yami took his lead and they began running to school. She yelled after them but then turned to me and laughed.

"Hey jokes on them." She said and pointed her thumb behind her back where I noticed a limo parked for the first time. I grinned, how gentlemanly of Kaiba.

We climbed I to the oversized car and began to leave, as we passed the boys she rolled the window down and stuck her tongue out at them.

"No fair!" Yami whined as I rolled the window down when we passed them, already winded from running halfway to school. She shrugged and rolled the window up as she waggled her eye brows at me.

"Should we stop and pick them up?" I asked giggling with her at their misfortune. She waved an arm in dismissal.

"Nah, it'll teach them not to mess with us girls." She said and leaned back against the leather seats. She shifted her arm out to stretch and I caught the glimmer of her bracelet. For just a moment I imagined it emitting a golden aura and extending out into the hazy shape of a staff. But just as soon as the vision appeared it faded and the moment passed without her noticing anything unusual at all.

"So I guess we have to go shopping to get you some cute maternity cloths now." I suggested and she snorted as she laughed her eyes widened and she blushed while dropping a hand to her thin abdomen.

"Yugi, how is it you manage to be a better girl than I am and I've got a whole sixteen years of experience on you..." She teased and I chucked a a piece of crumpled paper from my bag at her. She dodged easily and then agreed that she needed a few new cloths and decided that on Saturday morning we would go get lunch and go the the mall without the boys.

"Kyrri, you should tell the others. Yami notices something different about you and it's not long now until you won't even be able to hide it." I said slowly and carefully not trying to chase her from the conversation.

"I looked it up, since I've only you know... One time I was able to figure out that I'm 14 weeks and 4 days pregnant. So you're right I am running out of time but I don't know how to face him. I grew up basically alone and I don't want that for..." She trailed off and for the first time I noticed her how she had changed. It was subtle, almost not noticeable but she was softer around the edges, but there was a new protectiveness in her crimson eyes as she looked down at her stomach.

"What if Seto doesn't have time for a baby?" When she spoke I had to look back at her face just to make sure she actually had spoken because her voice was so small.

"One thing I know about Kaiba is that above all else family is the most important thing to him. Above his image and his company and even above himself." I said while placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. She wiped her face even though she wasn't crying and leaned her head against the window.

"But Mokuba is in a lot of trouble. I can't really say because I don't think he would want me spreading his business around, and that's without him running a multimillion dollar company. He is already overwhelmed Yugi! You should have seen him, he almost broke down completely right there in the hospital..." She closed her eyes and bowed her head. I thought about this, Kaiba always seemed so reserved and collected. To imagine him breaking down was hard especially without really knowing what was going on with Mokuba's but it was easy to understand why she was afraid.

I mean being pregnant at seventeen had to be hard enough without throwing millionaire baby daddy into the mix with a dash of magic forces and a evil demon lords on top and I can only imagine how stressful it was for her.

"I just don't want to burden him with my problem." She whispered and I frowned. She turned her attention away from me when I didn't answer, it was pretty apparent she would need my help if he was ever going to tell Seto that he was a father.

Seto's POV

I shot up from my sleep at the sound of Mokuba puking into the trash baksen next to the bed. I reached out a hand and stroke his back. He was shaking violently, I Waited until he was done clearing his stomach of it's contents. Which consisted of rely of stomach acid.

I helped pull him back on the bed to lay next to him when he was done and kept my arm around him while he shook so bad I was sure he was having a seizure.

"Se...se...Seto. Make it stop. Please...please make it stop!" He cried out through his hupervenilating. He clawed at his arms and I had to roll him on his side and pull him to where his back wa against my chest so I could wrap my arms aroh chips own and restrain him from hurting himself any firther.

"How can I help you? I'll do anything just tell me what I can do." I cried into his short hair mostly to myself. Through his shaking he paused before he began to struggle against me again.

"Promise." He demanded his voice desperate. I stiffened insure if I should make a promise like that. Finally I caved and swore to him I would do what ever it took to make the pain go away.

"Go into my room and get rid of it! I can't take this knowing that I could make it stop so easily!" He shouted and I blinked confussed.

"What's in your room Moki?" I asked soflt and Waited as he screamed out in pain for a moment before he caught his breath again.

"You fucking know what!" He yelled and then he slipped back Into a more delusional state. I knew he was close to passing out again, his body just to exhausted to fight through this.

Realizing what he must be talking about my eyes widened and I tightened my grip on him when he Egan violently trying to escape. His words and actions didn't match up as if in his eart he wanted to fight but his body wanted to give in to it's addiction.

He reached up and balled his fist up into a tight ball hitting me as hard a he could manage in his weakened state. Still enough to sting and I rubbed my cheek in mild shock.

"I hate you. Do you hear me I HATE YOU FOR LEAVING ME ALL ALONE! No go get that shit as far away from me as you can before I change my mind!"he screamed as he thrashed himself out of my arms. I lowered my eyes and forced back my sadness at his words.

First Kyrri and now Mokuba too. It was becoming more and more likely hag something was wrong with me since I was the common factor in all the messed up shit happening in my life.

I reached into the bedside table where my rod sat waiting. I know Kyrri had told me it was a bad idea to heal him but I couldn't just sit here and watch him suffer like this. Besides it was the third day now, surely he had suffered enough to learn his lesson since he was asking me to get rid of his drugs.

I rose the rod and channeled my life force into it with focuse determination. His skin brightened a bit and the fingernail marks along his arms and neck faded into nothing. But it didn't do much else, it wasn't able to restore his weight or lighten the dark circles under his eyes. It didn't even energize him, as his eyes slowly closed and his shaking stopped he fell I to an actually peaceful sleep.

Satisfied for now I left the room and pulled out a master key and locked my door from the outside so that he couldn't escape while I was busy searching his room for any remaining drugs and paraphernalia even if I wasn't sure what I was looking for.

How door was locked and he had tacked up a sign that said 'stay out' up since the last time I was in his room. I used the same key that I had to lock my own door behind myself.

The door clicked as I opened it and instantly I was agast at the state of things. Last time I was home my brother had posters on the walls, and a TARDIS bed that he had begged me for. There were black curtains and across his walls were drawings he had done over the years and pictures of us tacked up. He had his own tv and game system and a large oak desk where he did his honework.

Now as I cast my eyes rapidly over the nearly bare room i realized how empty it truely was. The bed and his curtains were about the only things that remained besides his desk. The room was dark and when I flicked the light on the only light was a black light bulb.

I walked over and snatched the curtains open so that I could see. His bed was unmade in it's designer blue frame and his desk was pushed into a corner. I glared at the first offensive item that I saw, a black bong. Of course I knew what it was, I'm not inept.

I noticed next to it sat a little glass pipe with a blub like shape on the end, this I wasn't as knowledgable about but still knew what it was and I knit my brows and mangled my mouth in a tight line.

The offensive glass seemed brand new an unused while Next to that was a bag with the drug in it. I snatched everything up and swiftly took it into his bathroom. I smashe the glass objects in the tub and then upended the contents of the plastic bag in the toilet an flushed without looking at it. I didn't want to see, and acknowledge the truth.

After I had cleaned up the mess in the bathtub and taken the trash all the way out into the garage where the dumpsters were located and come back I looked around his room once more.

All his picture and posters were gone, the thumb tacks left behind as they had been ripped from the walls. His royal blue comforter was crumpled on the floor and it smelled awful when I picked it up. Tossing it in a pile with several dirty cloths that were scattered across his floor to be washed.

Then I opened all his desk drawers and closet and took out anything I thought was suspicious and threw it into a trash bag. Things like lighters a bag of marijuana I found and another small pipe but one that was different than the first one I found.

Then I took an inventory of what was actually missing in the room. First off the flat screen and all his game systems were gone as was his conputer. So far I hadn't found his duel disc or deck and upon walking out into his small balcony that faced the back yard I realized his telescope was missing too.

Walking back into the room and closing the glass door behind me I saw he had gotten rid of all his books and manga and all of his games. His art supplies were gone too and I started to pick up a theme, it seemed like anything that was of value or meant something to him before was gone. And all traces of me too, all pictures and gifts I gave him over the years gone.

I lowered my gaze when I was done cleaning, this wasn't my brothers room and this wasn't my baby brother. He would never tell me he hated me and mean it, but then again his anger was warranted. I did abandon him here when I went to America do deal with these problems alone. I was the worst brother ever. I this empty room was any reflection of his mental state then I truly didn't deserve him.

I checked my phone for the timeand realized that it was now almost four O'clock in the afternoon and Mokuba was probably awake now since I had healed his body. He might even be hungry. Making a quick detour to the kitchen to warm up some soup and making a tall glass of ice water I marched back up the stares.

As I reached my room I heard Mokuba's crestfallen sobs through the thick wooden door halting me. He was crying his heart out and I waited until he bagan to calm his breathing before I unlocked the door while balancing his food with one arm.

He instantly shot his blood shot stormy grey eyes up at me and this roused a whole new wave of tears. I placed the food down on my nightstand and sat next to him on the bed. I didn't force my comfort on him but I placed a gentle hand on his knee.

"Why aren't you screaming at me?" He gasped guiltily and hid his face from me in shame. I tightened my face, unsure how to answer because I had never felt with this kind of thing before.

"A part of me really wants too I'm not going to lie. But this is mostly my fault anyways. I wasn't here for you when you needed me and I don't want to loose this opportunity to remind you that I love you and will always be here for you by pointing out your mistakes." I watched him as he raised his gaze to meet mine with surprise and his tears started to ebb little by little.

"You... You think this is your fault?" He stuttered and read my eyes trying to calculate my answer before I gave it.

"Moki... I should have never left you. We promised we would stick together no matter what and I got so caught up in the past that I forgot that no matter what I have a future where you need me to be strong. I wasn't very strong. I'm sorry." I lowered my head anxious to hear him accept, I hated apologizing it always made so unconfortable.

"You know I spent all this time being so mad at you because I felt like you forgot about me. But hearing your sorry now just makes me want to laugh at how stupid I was being to get mad at you in the first place. This whole mess is my fault Seto and I don't want you to blame yourself." He spoke slowly as if he was really having to contemplate his words and I was curious how much he understood about the dangers he put himself through.

"This is the first time I've been able to think clearly and for myself in months." He commented and then he raised his head up and more tears pooled in the rims of his eyes.

"Seto, I almost died." He spoke again before I had time to sort through all he had already said. It showed me that he was so blunt about it or that he seemed to understand the possible consequences of his actions.

"I don't know what I would do without you Mokuba. Please let me help you. You can't do this anymore, you're hurting yourself and it's killing me to see you suffer like that..." I begged him and made sure that I kept eye contact through the whole speech.

"I don't want to hurt you anymore big brother. The other night I tried to tell him that I wanted to stop. My grades are slipping and I've lost fifteen pounds. I can't sleep and I can't eat and I'm fucking scared all the time. But I needed it, or it hurt so bad, like if I didn't get it I would die. But when I tried to leave..." He trailed off and looked down at his hands. I watched him with great sadness.

"Mokuba what happened?" I asked as I squeezed his knee wher my hand still rested softly. He flinched at my words and his breathing sped up until he was almost hypervebtilating.

" he held me down and forced my ex girlfriend to shoot me up. I had stopped doing that stuff before I got any worse. But I still was taking pills. I kept the bag he gave me I don't even know why. But I knew that it would make the pain stop and that's why I asked you to get rid of it all. I don't want to be a part of this shit anymore."(8 "n l snared and his expression grew dark. My eyes widened as I realized the implication of his words.

"Sophia?" I gasped out in shock, the girl was only thirteen last time I saw her. He laughed a hallow empty sound and shook his head.

"No, her name was Alyssa. I think shes the one who took me to the hospital. But Mitch's intentions were clear, he didn't want me ratting him out I was better off dead." he spat in a cold voice and ran a hand through his short but but growing hair. Now it waved down to his chin.

"Don't worry we will speak to a detective in the morning and we will stop this monster before he hurts someone else." I shook my balled fist and glared at the wall. I would make sure he payed.

"No Seto! If you do that then he will find a way to kill me. If he thinks I died let's leave it that way. Let me come to America with you." He asked with hope in his eyes and I frowned.

"I sold my stocks in the western branch And wiped my hands from that mess. Besides I didn't raise you to run from your problems, look where that's gotten us so far." I said and decided in my head that he would talk to the detective anyways.

"Why?"He pouted and crossed his arms but I ignored the moodiness, since this was more like his normal attitude. It was nice to see him acting somewhat normal.

"Well, honestly Mokuba this is going to sound bad but... I left because I didn't want to be around Kyrri anymore. I know you don't understand because I haven't really even tried to explain things to you. But long story short I think that we might work things out." My explanation shoulder lame even to me and I pride myself in not saying lame things very often. He looked down an processed my words.

"It's okay, I know that you're a part of this world that I can't touch. I accept that now. I just want you to be happy Seto." He smile then, the first bubbly Mokuba smile I ha seen in almost six months. It made me so happy all I could do was smile back and ruffle his short spiky hair.

"I brought you some soup. Are you hungry?" I asked to change the subject. We would talk about this all more later. I already decided that he would see a counsolor and that he was going to be homeschooled from here on out. And even if I was trying to show him that I cared about him I still felt it was nessisary to punish him so that he knew that what he had do e was wrong and wouldn't be tollerated.

He began to eat happily and it shocked me how cheerful he was being, perhaps my energy had healed not only his physical afflictions but his mental ones as well or maybe it was just that he was truely happy to be alive after the nightmare he just lived. I hate to wipe the smile of his face but I cleared my throat.

"You know I have to ground you right?" I asked and watched him lower his head so that his shaggy bangs hid his face from me. He nodded.

"I know I screwed up. I knew it from the first time but I lost my head. I know you don't believe me but I'll show you." He said quietly and remorse was palpable in his actions and the sound Of his voice.

"I also want you to see a counsolor. I will be here for you no matter what but I am only human and I don't think I am capable of dealing with all of this alone. I've never done anything like this so I don't understand what it's like for you or what your going through." I said and again he nodded and kept his head down but he started to eat again and I knew he was listening he just needed to proses what I was tellin him.

"I'm taking you out of school. Your not ready for highschool. I'm not saying your not smart enough because you are it is just that with everything else I don't want to over load you. I'm going to hire a tutor to homeschool you and help you get more prepared to start highschool again next year." He tightened his grip on the bowl he was holding and a few tears dropped I to the soul that was half enpty.

"I'm sorry I let you down Seto. I wish I would have been smarter, I just wanted to feel like I had people that cared about me for me and not my money but in the end that was all she wanted from me." He said and I placed a hand on his shoulder as he moved the soup onto the table where it was before and threw himself in my arms.

I held him tightly vowing silently to myself to never let him face such trials alone again. And to protect him from the world, I just needed him to cooperate with me on it.

Bakura's POV

The first day of school sucked, for lack of a better term. Kyrri ran off with Kaiba before we even made it to campus making me question if she was going to skip this year too.

The second day completely lack luster but the third day was better so far but really I had no idea why I came here to this school full of morons...

-Flashback-

I watched was Ryou sat leaned over his small kitchen table writing furiously. I rolled my eyes and shifted my spiritual body in his line of sight to gain his attention. But he didn't even nudge a centimeter and I growled tossing my hands down on the table and sneering when it didn't produce the affect I desired.

/you know Bakura if you want me to pay attention to you all you have to do is ask./ he sighed and closed his text book while pulling his reading glasses off. He only used them when he was studing.

/why would I want your attention brat? I was just curious as to why you're so worried about this garbage./ I glared at the papers and books piled in front of him. He started to sort though his things and put them all away meticulously, he made sure to keep things neat in his own home.

/I want to be a doctor when I graduate college so I have to study very hard to bring my dreams into fulfilment./ he walked to the shelf and put his books back taking a moment to touch the picture frame that held the picture of him and his sister as children.

I stayed quiet while he went about his buisness Igoring me while he did so. Can say I blame him it's not like I treat him with kindness most of the time.

-end flashback-

Yes of course, Ryou was the reason that I went to this horrid place called school. So that when we got Ryou back that he could continue where he left off. All he had wanted out of life was to honor the memory of his poor sister who had died in a car crash when she was ten.

So I used the internet, with Yugi and Jou's help to get books on everything I needed to know to catch up to him and most nights I stayed up late to read as much as I could, And I made sure to pay extra attention while in this hell hole.

The pharaoh made fun of me for it but he actually had to work pretty hard to keep up as well since we were both ancient spirits stuck in the modern world and no matter how much we studied just the phrase quadratic equations had the two of us tugging out our hair.

Yugi was all to happy to help us study and so we spent most of the summer together hitting the books and watching movies and trying to figure out how to save my precious hikari. All plans seemed to come to a halt every time we mentioned Kaiba.

But maybe now tha would all change since Kyrri had finally taken some initiative and told Kaiba how she felt he would be more willing to help us.

Not that he wasn't willing to help us. I had personally seen how shaken he was when Kyrri rejected him. But what could I do to help them fix their relationship problems, that wasn't really my prerogative.

I made my way through the lunchroom and picked out some food to eat. Since I actually had my own body I had to remember to eat more frequently, even if the food here was only slightly better than the gruel served in the palaces dungeons.

As I made my way back to what I came to accept as my table, our table I heard the hushed whispers of Yami and Yugi, correction when we were at school it was Yukko.

"Don't you dare say a thing to her. You let her open up to you first." Yugi chastised as she wagged a finger in the pharaohs face. He nodded with a guilty pout and I rolled my eyes not knowing what they were talking about but not really minding since I got to see how whipped the Pharoah was with his rather pretty Hikari.

Thinking of my own partner I frowned when I sat down and glared at my meat loaf suspiciously while I poked it with a fork. Yugi smiled and greeted me while the Pharaoh just nodded and turned his attention back to the girl next to him. I swear he was having way too much fun with this.

Arms wove around my back as I was tackled from behind in a tight hug that sent me face forward straight into my lunch tray with an audible squish. Yugi stopped talking an Kyrri immediatly let go and began apologizing profusely.

I rose my head up slowly my temple pulsing in annoyance with a deathly blank face. Yami was the first one to start laughing and soon after Yugi followed. My eyes narrowed as I looked back at her full of unneeded rage.

She was holding her hands over her mouth in half shock and half to restrain her fit of giggles as she lost control and began to laugh with the rest of our friends. I was prepared to yell when I stood up but then the laughter of the students surrounding us reached my ears. With shock I glanced rapidly around the room and to my discomfort everyone in the small common room had now joined in the laughter.

Quickly my anger melted into anxiety and I glanced back at my friends who still hadn't stopped. For the very first time in my existence I felt the mortification of being completely embarrassed in public.

I shook my head in agitation knocking chunks of meatloaf and mashed potatoes out I my alabaster locks of hair to hide the watery substance pooling around the rims of my eyes and bolted for the exit.

"Kura wait!" Kyrri shouted reaching after me immediatly sobering up.

"Bakura!" The Pharaoh suprised me by yelling out at the same time as his sister. It only suprised me because he was the last person I expected to give a shit. Still there was no way I was going back in there.

I ended up storming up to the large oak tree in the front of the campus and climbed up stealth-fully to perch on a branch. I shed the few embarrassed tears and wiped my face on my long sleeved navy blue sweater I wore over my school uniform. Since I was adhering to the color code no one ever bothered me about it.

"Stupid Kyrri. Stupid Ra be damned Pharaoh! FUCKING MEATOAF!" I screamed and grabbed wads of my messy hair and began tugging fiercely. This had less to do with my embarrassment than it did with the searing hole in my chest, I curled up almost into a ball perched on the tips of my toes with my hands still ripping at my hair.

This was how Kaiba found me just moments later when he showed up on campus to see Kyrri for lunch I presume. I looked up shocked and he quietly grabbed onto the branch I was hiding on an pulled himself up using ony his arm strength and cleared his throat.

"What the fuck do 'you' want?" I hissed in what I tried to make sound cold and full of hate, but it ended coming out pathetic. I even hiccuped in the middle of my sentance.

He looked at me for a moment an then looked forward at the branches and leaves that secluded us from sight. His face went lax and he seemed deep in thought.

"I wish that you had made different choices in the past. Sometimes I see you and I think 'who is this guy? Where was he in Egypt?' I think that this must be what Kyrri saw in you back then when you couldn't see it youreself, just like she did for me. You should open your eyes Bakura and see yourself the way she does. The way everyone is starting to. You're more human than I ever gave you credit for." As he spoke to me in a quieted voice his eyes darkened into a royal blue and he seemed so much older than I knew him to be. Years of pain cast a shadow over his gaze but just as quickly as this moment came it passed and he morphed his face back into his usual emotionless mask.

"By the way I didn't know the school still surved meatloaf suprise, it looks even less appetizing served this way." He smirked and jumped down gracefully. With a twitch of my brow I followed him down. Once I straightened up I dusted myself off more trying to rid myself of this retched stench of rotten meat.

"Kura, I'm so... So... Sorry. I.. I didn't mean too...I...I..." Kyrri ran up to me with her face in her hands in a hysterical fit of water works. I widened my eyes, she was more upset than I was. Yugi ran behind her and glared at me while Kaiba's eye widened an he watched the scene with humor.

"She's been hysterical since you ran out of the lunchroom! What do you have to say for yourself?" Yugi scolded me with a hand on her hip.

"What? How about I'm the one who smells like dog food?" I asked incredulously and glared back at her. This sent Kyrri into an even more depressive state and she slumped away from us and to the tree I just inhabited.

"Ha! Too bad the Mutt isn't here." Kaiba said and began laughing. For real laughing. Kaiba.

Everyone laughed again at my expence and this time I just rolled my eyes. Kyrri was still sulking in the corner looking absolutely despondent over the whole incident. She sure was emotional today.

"Hey, look it's whatever okay. I mean at least if everyone is going to make fun of me forever then at least I made it awesome." I said awkwardly just trying to get her to stop crying and cheer up.

"Really?" She asked in a tiny voice and peeked up at me through her thick curtain of hair. I smirked and gave her a thumbs up and she swung back into a standing possition and smiled widely with fresh tear stains undried on her cheeks. She looked kind of radiant when he smiled like that and I looked away. Long past the days where such a smile would make my heart flutter towards the former princess. Now but if Ryou smiled at me like that...

"Hey." Kaiba said his face calm again as he stared at Kyrri. It was like he didn't even see anything else when she was around and it was easy to see his admiration. I wanted that, I wanted real. I wanted Ryou.

"Hey." She smiled and clasped her hands behind her back and tilted into her heels as she looked up at him with similar gushy feelings.

"Gag." I said and turned around, Yami looked at me closely and stepped a few feet away from the others before he taped my shoulder.

I turned a critical eye on him that said 'what do you want?' But I stopped walking, I mean it's not like I wanted to go inside the school again, actually I didn't want to go back at all. This wasn't my right, it wasn't my place. Ryou deserved to be here having fun and having friends. He deserved this life not me. I should be in his place, I knew Zork and I knew what he wa capable of.

"Listen, I'm going to talk to Kaiba tonight about what he thinks we should do about Zork. I'm going to convince him to let us meet at the mansion, I'll invite Isis and we can discuss a real game plan." He said an I nodded with a sigh of relief. I needed to focus my energy towards saving my Hikari.

"I'm sorry Bakura. We shouldn't have laughed at you. It was all in good nature friend." He said then and looked away from me. Huh, friend. Coming from the pharaoh this was a pretty strong proclimation.

"Well don't get too attached as soon as we do get him back I plan to return to the ring to continue to pay for my sins. I am not deserving of this life. His life." I said unable to keep my thoughts to myself after so long of holding it inside. He looked back at me with a frown.

"Kaiba's right you really don't see yourself clearly." He noted and with a small but genuine smile he walked back to the group. I decided to go back to the tree and climb up where I could hear the conversation but didn't have to be a part of it. I didn't feel much like socializing.

Yami's POV

I walked back to stand between my sister and my girl and clasped Yugi's hand gently in my own only to revive a smile and a soft head leaned against my shoulder. Kyrri was completely absorbed in conversation with Seto about how things had been going at Kaiba crop while he was in America. Of course he knew already but he seemed happy to be talking with her.

She was glowing and so radiantly happy right now it was a shock. This was how she smiled when we were kids, when we were happy. It was amazing to see her so happy and I wondered idly if this was because of her being happy about being pregnant or about being with Kaiba or if it was both. I wasn't even sure if she had told him yet, or why she hadn't told me.

I looked down at Yugi who was watching her like a hawk. I was glad tht the two of them had become so close. I was happy with the way everything turned out, not that I wouldn't have love Yugi just as much if he had stayed a he. But looking into her beautiful amythist eyes now as she smiled and joked along with everyone made me so grateful that I got to be here a whole man, with my own memories and family and the love of my life.

I watched Kyrri and Seto interact with a smile, they reminded me of how they acted as kids too. There was an innocence to their relationship that seemed to withstand the test of time and all the difficulties they had faced.

Just when had I become so sentimental? Shrugging these thoughts off as Kaiba suggested that we all take a limo to his place to talk and so Bakura could shower and get a clean change of cloths.

We all climbed into the limo and Egan the journey across town and as I stared out the window while Yugi and Kyrri carried on a conversation about hair products while Bakura sulked on the other side of the cab, I wondered if perhaps I should just give up on school. We never seemed to be able to stay in the damn place for any amount of time withou having to drop out and save the world.

"How's Mokuba?" Kyrri asked Seto quietly when Yugi started trying to cheer Bakura up who was obviously depressed about somethig ther than the food in his hair.

Seto smiled a little and very nervously opened his hand palm up to her for her to take his hand.

"Well I uh, healed him. But before you say anything you don't understand he told me what happened. Yes he was doing a lot of things he shouldn't have been and were going to deal with that but he begged me to get everything out of the house and away from him. He told me that he tried to tell the people that he was done and still wanted to be friends but they assaulted him and injected him with high doses of meth causing him to overdose which lead to him being dropped off at the hospital." He said and everyone's attention fell on him as he explained most of us not even knowing that the trouble Mokuba got in wa that serious. She frowned.

"I just hope you're right. It's a hard road he decided to walk and I don't want to see someone so young and bright throw so much away." She said in a concerned tone that reminded me of a mother hen kind of how she was with our group.

It's funny if someone would have told me a year ago that not only would I be friends with Kaiba but Bakura too and that I would be in the company of the most beautiful creature on earth who was also my aibou I probably would have mind crushed them.

Kry: so there it is. By the time this chapter comes up on the sight I will have re worked the last three chapters to fix some things I missed in my writing while I was without my notes.

Anyways, will Kyrri tell Seto before someone else does? Will Mokuba keep his word? Will Bakura ever get the stench of meatloaf out of his hair? All questions to be answered in the next chapter so please leave me your lovely words of encouragement.


	17. Chapter 17

Kry: So excited for this chapter, so may things to be excited for!

I do not own YuGiOh but I own my wonderful OC Kyrri and ell her awsombess.

Still looking for a beta or a co writer please Pm me if you're interested.

Kyrri's POV

I sat on the cream colored plush leather sofa with Seto happily perching on the arm next to me while my brother sat in between myself and Yugi as we waited for Bakura to return from taking his shower.

Seto was running his hands through my hair near the nape of my neck and Yugi was talking to Yami about what they were doing about school.

"Hey, what are 'you' going to do about school. I mean it's not like you can finish now." Yugi asked as she leaned over Yami to give me a very critical eye and motioned not so sibtly at my mkdsection. I glared at her in suprise.

"What?" Seto asked as he looked between me and Yugi. I panicked, no way I can tell him now. Yami was watching me now too and this caused my breathing to speed up.

"I...I..." Standing quickly to turn and face everyone I tilted as the room started to spin. I grasped for something, anything to catch myself as I fell. The last thing I saw as my vision started going dark was the edge of the coffee table, then everything went black.

When I opened my eyes again I saw several pairs of eyes staring down at me in worry. Yami, Yugi, Bakura, and even Akamenatsu, Seto's private doctor. But Seto was nowhere to be found.

"What's going on, ow my head." I said as I tried to sit up. Both Yami and Bakura each at the same time gently pushed me back down onto the soft sofa. I frowned and pushed them away so I could push myself up to lean on my elbows.

"Miss Rutherford you hit our head pretty hard you should try to take it easy. Here." Said the doctor as he passed me two Tylenol pills and a small glass of water. I gladly accepted and drank the whole glass before I faced then again.

"Why didn't Seto just heal me?" I asked not thinking about the extra person with us. The doctors eyes widened and he clicked his tongue but otherwise said nothing. After all he had personally witnessed me healing Seto myself before when he was hurt after saving me from certain splatters death.

"Well, he was going to but Yami stopped him." Yugi said quietly from my left with a guilty expression on her face. I glared at Her not forgetting that she was trying to sabotage me in front of everyone which what caused me to panic in the first place though I was unsure about what made me pass out.

"Yami?" I questioned and turned my furious glare at him. But his face was far different from Yugi's, he was positively devasted looking.

"I didn't want him to hurt it." He whispered and looked down causing his golden bangs to hide his face. My brows knit together in confusion. It?

"Hurt what brother?" I asked and touched his shoulder softly. He tensed beneath my touch violently shrugging me off.

"The baby Kyrri for the love of Ra how could you forget?" He asked and stood up turning his back to me. Yugi jumped up too looking confused and concerned as she tried to figure out what was wrong. I just sat there in shock.

Baby.

That's right the baby, my baby. That's when it really hit me, of course he would freak out over this. When our mother had died she was pregnant too, she had fallen down several stairs hurting both her and our baby brother so the guards had taken her to the high priest who had come before Seto.

The priest had tried to heal her but somhow it had only made things worse. The baby came early, a still birth and my mother lost so much blood. She died minutes later on that fateful night, apparently because shadow magic can seriously hurt a pregnant person. One of the main reasons why priestesses were banned from marriage.

The high priest had been executed and only days later Seto had been brought to the palace to train under Isis to take his place.

The memory brought tears to my eyes and I sat quietly while Yugi calmed her boyfriend and Bakura watched me sadly from his position behind the couch.

I touched my stomach. Somewhere in there was a heart beat and a life that I had created. That me and Seto made together out I our love. I had made all of this hard enough for him and here I was screwing everything up even more.

"Where is Seto?" I asked gaining everyone's attention. The doctor smirked as he packed his bags before excusing himself and Yami and Yugi began creeping away towards the exit.

"He's sulking in his office." An unfamiliar voice said from the stairs and I looked up to see Mokuba standing at the bottom with a dark look in his steel colored eyes. He took a few steps towards me but stopped before he got half way and crossed his arms.

"Look I'm not going to pretend I understand the two of you. All I want is for you to treat my brother f fairly. Ever since he met you all he has done go from one freak out to another!" He sneered and Bakura took a few steps forward putting himself between me and Mokuba. I looked down, he was right of course. I just kept messing everything up. How could I suck at something so much.

"Look brat you need to watch your mouth Kaiba is a grown man he can hable himself. You on the other hand are a snotty little shit who doesn't know how to stay out of trouble." Bakura yelled and glared down at the teen. Mokuba balled his fists and opened his mouth to retort back at him but was cut off.

"THATS ENOGH! Mokuba to your room. Tomb Raider watch how you speak to my brother!"Seto's voice bellowed across the whole floor of the house and Mokuba quickly bowed his head and did as he was told. I looked up at Seto but he refused to make eye contact with me as he stalked to the front door and swung it open to reveal Isis. I had only met her once since she came to domino. Of course I remembered her ancestor, since we had never seen eye to eye in the past.

"Isis, tell me everything you know about this." He said as he passed her my bracelet. I looked at my wrist suprised to find it was actually gone. I couldn't really remember the last time I took it off an it suprised me even more since other people weren't suppose to be able to remove it either. Isis held it like it was precious and gasped.

"Oh, sweet mother of the gods!" She looked up with tears rimming her eyes right at me. The last time I met her I had purposly worn long sleeves to hide my arms and my bracelet in return. I had also put my hair into a braided bun and worn sunglasses.

I hadn't wanted her to really recognize me. But now she had no doubt as she strode up to me with her shoulders high and exuding all the presence of a full fledged priestess. A skill I had yet to reattain so far.

"Princess, how wondrous it is to see you. Though I wish it to be under better circumstances." She said as she flicked her eyes down to my stomach. My eyes widened, had Seto told her?

"I think the circumstances are wonderful thank you is Isis." I looked down at her possition as she bowed her head as I glared at her. I really never cared for her much and I knew the feelings were mutual.

"I thought for sure that this was destroyed princess along with you." She said as she rose up and jerked her hand away when I reached for my bracelet.

"Do you remember anything you were taught about the lore of this?" she asked me and I frowned, some of my memories were still hazy and others were completely blank.

I thought I had enough of my memories but apparently not. My mother had given this to me when I was very small, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't remember what she ha said.

With a deep sadness I realized I couldn't even remember what she had sounded like. Though I remembered my mother from this life and the horrible things she would say to me before she took her own life.

My stomach clenched uncomfortably and I swooned a little and straightened my self to catch my balance. What's wrong with me? Seto was quick to step forward with out meeting my eyes and put a straightening hand on my elbow to help me balance.

"This is the millennium secret. Legend has it that Osiris gifted it to the daughter of a Pharaoh many lifetimes before we were born. It was always passed down to the pharaohs daughter and held special powers. It was these powers the gods gave us that inspireded your father to have the seven millennium items forged with the blood of thousands. He tried to justify this of course with the fact that he killed only thieves and other such immoral men. But the power of the mellenium items came with a price and that price was darkness. This however is pure, and has powers that go far beyond what we've ever observed."

She explained while she admired it and I got the feeling that she wished to possess it's power, my power. I quickly snatched it back from her and put it on my wrist where it belonged immediatly growing more relaxed.

"But it should have been destroyed when you face Zork, and he should have been vanquished to the worst part of the afterlife. I don't understand how any of this is possible." She said and turned from me as she spoke while she contemplated the situation. Bakura cleared his throat and then looked down at the floor with a dark look in his eyes.

"I did it." He said and everyone leaned forward a little more to hear him and he looked up directly into my soul with his watery mahogany eyes.

"I was just a puppet to Zork, but when I saw you push tht sword through your own flesh something in me broke. My rightful vengeance was nothing but the twisted sorrow of a sad broken boy. I let the darkness drag me down and nearly destroy me but I never wanted to hurt you. I never really wanted to hurt anyone, I just thought some how it would ease the pain of my loss. I let Zork have my body in that moment and I tried to trade places with you. I tried to let my soul go in exchange but the priests ritual was too intricate and his power too strong for me to stop. Though somehow in that moment I was granted my wish at the price of containing Zork within me for all eternity trapped within the ring. While the Pharoah was trapped in the puzzle and you died. Everyone forgot about the whole thing and prosperity resumed in Egypt." He had started yelling at first but slowly his story changed into more of an apology. He was ashamed of his action a but it wasn't in his nature to accept his own faults. I smiled at him to ease his sadness but it did little good. Seto and Yami also seemed shaken by his reliving of the memory.

"I was pregnant then too." I said as I began putting te prices together. This caused Seto to snap his head around in utter shock and the look on his face was close to a breaking point. This was the first time he looked at me since I woke up.

"W...what." He stuttered and touched a hand to mine searching my eyes desperately for a hint of a lie. I frowned sadly and turned fully to him.

"I didn't tell anyone, I knew what I had to do and I knew that I had to shoulder that alone so that it wouldn't hurt you more. I'm sorry Seto." I said and vowed my head. He didn't speak but he pulled his hand away an began to pace while he ran a hand through his hair several times. Shit I broke him. I broke Seto Kaiba.

"How dare you! How fucking dare you keep something like that from me. I thought you were different than this but all you've done since I found you again is push me away an lie to me." He looked up at me absolutely crestfallen and I started to shake.

"I knew I had to die while you would be forced to live with what happened forever Seto, and we didn't have that kind of time. I didn't want you to shoulder that when you were suffering enough already. I haven't lied I you I was planning to tell you about this today before Yugi stuck her nose into things." I accused and his face contorted in anger as he swung around and glared full force. Our three companions smartly kept their open ions to themselves and stayed out of it but I saw Yugi begin to cry wiping her eyes with her tiny hands.

"Oh yea Seto i haven't even told you I still love you but by the way I'm pregnant with some other mans baby because I can't keep my pants on since I'm slut! Who was it? Or rather how many other men did you have one night stands with besides me?"He screamed and I gasped along with several others in the room. Yugi stepped forward wiping her tears away.

"Kaiba!" She hissed and her face scrunched up in to a pissed off level that rivaled his own. I felt tears pour down my face an I touched my stomach. His words cut deep, my father had often called me a slut.

"I've only been with you." I whispered but he didn't hear me over the commotion Yugi was making.

"I'm fourteen weeks and four days pregnant do the math. Literally the only time I have ever had sex with anyone an it's been consensual in my whole life and it was with you!" I yelled back not caring about the others in the room. How dare he call me a slut, sure I had made a lot of bad choices especially leaving after that amazing night but I hadn't loved another man. I couldn't love anyone else after loving him.

He stopped and looked at me with wide eyes before he looked back down and started doing the math as I had told him. When he looked back up he was sad all over again.

"Consensual?" He questioned in a quiet shaking voice and took a step closer to me. I refused I look at him and pouted towards the wall so I didn't have to look at anybody else either.

"It was a long time ago. I do not want to talk about it." I demanded and crossed my arms. Everyone was deathly silent for a long moment and I felt my anxiety go into overload.

"Your father?" He gasped in realization and I shook my head violently and held up my hand to silence him.

"I said I don't want to talk about it." I spoke again and then walked over and sat down against the edge of the sofa suddenly very fatigued.

"And you're sure I can't just heal this?" I asked Isis as I pointed to my aching head. She frowned and shook her head at me.

"There is much we never understood about shadow magic, and still don't. But one thing is that when a woman is with child it splits he life force, this affecting the flow of magic. I wouldn't be too suprised if you are unable I use your magic at all. While if someone else were to try and heal you there is no garuntee that something wouldn't happen to your child because the shadow magic would not only pass through you who was trained to be able to withstand such turmoil but it will through the child as well." Her eyes darkened as she said this and she eyed me in suspicion.

"Just as it did when the two of you were born." She said as she cast her eyes between me and Yami.

"Explain yourself Isis." Yami demanded moving forward. Seto was still stating at me in open shock, he didn't even seen to be listening as he shamelessly watched me while Yugi and Bakura stood back and watched the scene.

"Your mother was dying to give birth to the two of you as well, the burden of twins who were already powerful enough on their own was too much for her and she commanded that my master heal her so tha she could raise her children. I was there to assist with the difficult birth, I was little more than a girl! That was one of the most terrifying nights of my life..." She began and trailed off. Both of us stared at her unable to speak. I had known she was much older than me but I hadn't known she helped deliver us or that our mother almost died.

"When you were born Pharoah you looked much as you do now, only with soft golden eyes like our father and when you were born princess you had Snow White hair and the queens brilliant blue eyes that shimmered like stars but somehow you had repelled the shadow magic causing it to hit Atem right in the chest. You screamed and reached for him, in shock my master dropped you the short distance and as you touched him you pulled the darkness out and into yourself. A great light knocked my master and I back and when it faded your hair had turned jet black and both of your eyes had turned blood red. The queen made us swear that we would never speak of that night but that hardly matters now." She was shaking when she finished and I had fresh tears threatening to fall. Yami was also visibly shaken and I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. I had almost killed him in the same second he took his first breath.

Seto finally showed signs that he was indeed listening as he turned to face Yami and then Isis before he looked back at me I couldn't read his expression.

" even knowing the risks involved with using magic while caring a child when she began to loose your little brother she begged me to try and safe him. When I refused your father demanded I do it anyway since he didn't know the dangers. This time your mothers body was the one who rejected it and it killed them both. Your father changed that day as I'm sure you both remember." She finished and all three of us, my brother and Yami included shivered in remembrance of the mad king.

"I had no idea." I whispered and Yami nodded with his own tears rimming his eyes as well. Bakura too looked shaken by this discovery as I'm sure he knew that this is what lead my father to create the items to bring back the soul of his dead wife in turn killing Bakura's whole village. Yugi was a mess of tears again but she was keeping it quiet.

"Yes, but I had to tell you now because you have to protect this child. I have seen disturbing visions of the future. This is why I called Kaiba, You must be kept safe until the child is born without the influence of magic. Only then will it be safe for you to face Zork and the new darkness I for see him combining with. It's risky to let him gain this power but that's a price we all have to pay." She said in a cryptic voice and then looked down at my stomach with an almost soft joy taking me completely off guard.

"This child will one day be the salvation of not only this world but several worlds across time. I can't see everything but I can clearly see what a brave hero this child will become." Then she placed her hand gently over my stomach and I was too shocked to stop her.

"Please princess, I know I have always kept you at an arms length. Truthfully because I was afraid that I could not teach you to control your profound powers but you suprised me over and over again as you gracefully became thepriestess I could never become. But I always wished to protect you both I just never knew how. I don't think anyone really did, until priest Seth was brought to the palace that is." She chided smirking at him. I couldn't help the small smile that crossed my lips at the memory. She was right Seth was the first person to not be afraid of me and Yami.

I always thought it was because we were royal but now somehow it made more sence. He was open and kind to both of us quickly becoming our best and only real friend. Later we had befriended Mana as well but Seth was always special. I realized that even now Seto was so real and truthful. That he still tried to handle us both as he had before yet I kept pushing him away. Some of my anger towards him was ebbing to my dismay. After all it probably hurt him to think that this child was someone elses. That thought had never even occurred I me before he had mentioned it.

He smiled too but didn't look at me as he was in deep thought and he watched a spot on the floor as if it was suddenly very interesting.

"What did you mean about Zork merging forces with a greater evil?" Bakura spoke up taking a step towards Isis with a desperate look in his large mahogany eyes. Isis faced him and shifted so that she was leaning in one side more than the other and brushed her long black hair over her shoulder.

"I haven't been able to discover who, somehow my visions come to a halt she I try to search into that part of the future but any day now he will find an unimaginable power and join forces with it. This will break the barriers between this world and the shadow realm and many will loose their souls before the battle is won." She explained looking extremely frustrated in her own abilities.

"Once the baby is born and safe you will all have to face this evil force in an unimaginable fight and there will be sacrifices involved." Her eyes darkened and she clenched her fists tightly and crouched a little in an angry pose.

"So we need to fight. I expected that much." Seto said speaking up for the first time and I noticed he was holding the rod as he rose it up with a determined look. Everyone nodded as Yugi stuck Her hand out followed by Yami who placed his hand over hers. Bakura then happily added his hand with a wicked grin obviously excited at the prospect of fighting. They all looked at me and all of them smiled. I too smiled and put my hand on top of my oldest friends and then we all rose them up in a silent pact.

"I want to help too!" Mokuba screamed as he bolted into the room and buried himself into Seto's open arm unoccupied by the rod. Seto hugged him tightly obviously forgetting he had banished him to his room less than an hour ago.

"You can't help Mokuba this is very dangerous buisness that you don't know anything about." He said softly but Mokuba pulled back obviously hurt by the comment.

"I can help, I can learn I can still be a part of your life. Please Seto all or nothing. I can't watch from the sidelines while you fight for your life against monsters and demons! I need you and you need me you said it yourself Seto we are a team!"

He ranted and shook his fists in fury. When he wasn't being a brat I actually admired the boys guts. He had to really care about Seto and perhaps I had misjudged him before. After all he was going through quite a lot for a fourteen year old even without the added bonus of the dark forces that surrounded his brother and all of his friends.

"Mokuba there's no way for you to learn how to wield shadow magic." He said sternly and at this Isis cleared her throat. He snapped his attention to her as did mokuba.

"That isn't true Seto. Bakura taught himself how to use the shadow magic of the ring all on his own when he was much the same age Mokuba is now. You yourself were around this age when you began training. He does hold the potential as he carries the blood of your ansestor self just as you do." She explained and Mokuba's expression became hopeful. He took a few steps forward to be why him am arms reach of isis.

"What do I need to do?" He asked bravely and for a moment I saw Seto in this side of him. They had the same face structure and with his short black hair styled in a way that was different but similar to his brothers at the same time He held the same authority Seto held and it made me smile.

Seto however was outraged that Isis was even explaining this to him. He pointed an causing finger at Isis and glared cold dagger at her but she remaine unfazed.

"You will not say another word Isis!" he demanded and she frowned up at him in defiance.

"I'm sorry Seto but this too has already been for told long ago. He had only be willing to accept it. This has been waiting for you for a long time Mokuba."She said as she held her hands out in front of her chest and summonsed the millennium scales and the golden item perched on her open palms. She extended it towards the young teen. Mokuba hesitantly took it and as soon as his slim fingers touched the polished glistening gold his hair began to wave around as energy pulsated out around him. The eye of Ra glowed bright on his four head and we all watched as the item chose him it's true master.

Any conplaints Seto had died in his throat as a smile full of pride took over his face and he touched his brothers shoulder in a show of his unspoken support. Mokuba stared up into his older brothers eyes in awe as he experienced true power for the first time.

"You must begin his training immediatly Seto. You should probably assist him Kyrri, though you should not actually use your powers you can still regain some of your control over them just by muscle memory alone. I encourage you all to find your own ways to train yourselves. There isn't as much time as we would like." She said as she began to walk towards the door always one for dramatic exits. She stopped however right next to Bakura who was still just staring at the scales Mokuba held in shock over the turn of events.

"Yes Tomb a robber I believe you have a very important question to ask me." She said casting him a serious look. He stared up at her and back at the scales as if he couldn't proses everything that just took place.

"How... How did you summon that item when it was half way across the world with Shadi?" He asked and I knew right away why this was a concern of his. She smiled a knowing smile.

"All priests and priestesses are taught how to summon any of the items in case of an emergency once their training is complete. Those two however never managed to finish their training and were thrust into power much too soon just as the young Pharoah was when war struck the country." She said but I took note that she didn't seem to harbor blame towards Bakura anymore. Something I knew he. Blamed himself for still.

"And yes I can summon the ring back to you as you are the rightful living owner. Since I assume from what I've been told your light counterpart resides in the ring. But from what I can tell from what visions I have seen he still possesses a physical body and is merely prisoner inside a tomb of Zork's own creation. It appears Zork has the power to manipulate physical forms as well as control a host he can now just as easily make one." She said and Bakura gaped in shock. Seto and I were equally shocked at this news and I was ashamed that I never paid more attention to my training when I was a girl.

"For the love of Ra, we have to save him. All this time I assumed Zork needed him but if he is simply toying with him he could kill him any time now. Please help me, I've never begged anyone for help before but for this, for Ryou I will do anything." His words shocked me as did the raw emotion in his eyes but his actions suprised me even more as he dropped to his knees in front of her and bowed his head. She chuckled.

"That's not needed. This is part of why I came. This night is the beginning of hard roads but this night is a good night for all involved. Rise to your feet Bakura." She said and he rose up with a determination that was fierce and grabbed her extended hand while she touched her necklace.

"Focus on your bond with Ryou and I shall focus on the ring and together we should both be able to bring them home safely where they belong." She said and Bakura placed his free hand over his heart and focused their powers.

With a flash of golden and crimson light they were both knocked onto the floor and in their grasped hands was the ring emitting a soft golden glow.

Bakura screamed in a childish delight and quickly placed the ring around his neck with a brilliant snile as he patted the item against his chest several times just to feel it's presence.

"He's here. I can feel him! I can feel him oh thank the gods Isis thank you!" He then placed both hands over the ring and closed his eyes again and laughed one of those laughs that released all of his hurt and tension over the last few months of worry. This was the happiest I had seen him and his joy brought smiles to everyone faces.

Isis insisted that no thanks was needed and bid her farewell with the excuse tha she had to prepare Marik for the tribulations to come.

The mood was much lighter after that even in the face of so much uncertainty. Even if the war was not won we all felt as if a battle had been won on this night and we all stayed up late Into the night hours celebrating the return of Ryou who Bakura decided he would allow to rest once he had taken him back to his soul room within the puzzle until he was ready to return to his physical form.

Yugi kept her distance from me though and I knew that tomorrow I would have to talk to her. I needed to tell her I wasn't actually angry anymore since I now realize that her and Yami were only trying to protect me. Now my only problem was Seto, who though was happy to be sharing this moment with everyone was still keeping his distance as well. Still I caught him casting me guilty looks all throughout the night.

Sometime around two in the morning Mokuba fell asleep still tired from everything he was dealing with and everyone began to say their goodbyes for the night. Seto offered for everyone to spend the night but Bakura had declined saying he wanted Ryou to be in his own home when he awoke.

Yami and Yugi decided to stay and they escorted their selves to a guest room I assume they must have stayed in before since Seto didn't have to personally guide them through his monster of a house.

This left us alone with a sleeping Mokuba resting cutely on the couch with the scales grasped tightly in his hands. Seto knelt down next to him and pried the item from his hands setting it on the table with the first lines of worry crossing his face.

" he is so young but onviously this is the path he was destined to take. The scales accepted him completely." He fretted and rushed some of the raven locks behind Mokuba's ear.

I grabbed a soft cashmere throw blanket and gently draped it over Seto's little brother. He was super adorable when asleep and indeed he looked much younger this way. Seto smiled tenderly down at him before placing a soft kiss on his fourhead.

"Come on you need to eat. You can't be skipping meals anymore." He scolded and walked into a room I hadn't been in before. He lead me through a grand dining room that had a table that could easily fit Fourty people and into a kitchen that left me breathless.

So much grander than the small kitchen up stairs everything sparkled. The countertops were black granite and all the alliances were stainless steel and and eight burner gas stove with a built in griddle and grill top was the star of the room followed closely by a magnificent fridge that was bigger than anything I could have imagined.

"Oh my obelisk! This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." I gushed and this gained a genuin chuckle out of him.

"I take it you like to cook?" He questioned and I nodded excitedly.

"Another time prehaps. Sit down I'll make you something. What would you like princess?" He asked and I blushed, he always managed to be the only person who could call me a princess and make me feel like one even if I actually was one.

"Can you make me an egg and bacon Sandwich on toast?" I asked as it sounded like the best possible thing for me to eat right now. He nodded and quietly went about his work. I waited for him to decide to talk but hen he stayed silent for several minutes with his back turned to me I began to get upset.

"Do you want me to have this baby?" I asked looking down and I heard him drop his spatula and turn to face me.

"Of course. God I'm such an unbelievable ass, I'm sorry for what I said I just didn't think that something like this could happen. It was only one time and I thought you would have told me sooner if you had known. I made a terrible assumption." Was his excuse and he quickly turned the fire off and placed my eggs and bacon between two prices of whole wheat toast and sat the food down in front of me.

"I was in denial. Denial about the past, about us and most of all about myself. I've only really known for about four days and when I called you to tell you everything with Mokuba happened and I felt like it wasn't the right time. But I don't want to make the same mistakes I made in the past. This life is too precious not just because Isis says so but because this is our second chance to do things differently. For our decisions to not be blinded by fear and sadness." I said and raised my head to lock eyes with him. He sat next to me at the bar on the island in te middle of the kitchen and rested his fourhead against my own.

"I'm still so sorry I never should have said something so cruel to you. I love you and I don't feel like I'm representing my feelings the right way." Be admitted and brought a hand up to rest on my neck as he gently rubbed his thumb across the sensitive skin.

"Don't worry about it Seto I haven't made it easy for you. I'm sorry too." I said and pulled back so I could state into his beautiful cerulean eyes.

"I was so afraid but this baby changed all of that. It made me see things as they really are not just how I perceive them to be. None of the hurt from my past matters when I visualize you with our child. A person we created together out of our love. When I visualize us a family that's all that matters." I said as he cut me off and leaned forward to kiss me gently. I pulled back to his dismay and placed a finger over his lip to silence his protests.

"I know I haven't said this yet. I've been afraid and that was just ignorant of me but Seto Kaiba I fucking love you." I said and his eye brightened and a brilliant smile stretched from one ear to the as he kissed me again.

When he pulled away he lowered his head to listen to my beating heart and placed a hand against my stomach ever so slightly tickling my sensitive skin under the school shirt I still wore.

"A father." He marveled as he slid his hand under my shirt and I gasped at how pleasant the warmth of his hand against me felt as he began to gently massage the tender skin.

"I've raised Mokuba for half of my life but I never even imagined that I would have my own children. I guess I never even realized everything that was missing in my life, not until I found you at least." He whispered softly and sighed as he pulled away to sit in his chair and watch me eat. He ended up pulling an apple out of the fridge and making himself a cup of coffee.

I yawned and stretched my arms above my head catching his attention as he put my plate in the sink.

"Come one baby let's get you to bed so you can both rest. We can sort everything else out tomorrow but I promise you I will be here with you every steep of the way."he smiled and kissed me once more as he lead me out of the kitchen and up the several flights of stairs to his toom. I didn't question him as he found me similar sleeping ware as I had used before when I was here and he began to help me dress and undress again.

Once I was changed in clean cloths I pulled the bobby pins out of my hair and let my long bangs loose using my fingers to comb out the tangles in my long treases. Seeing my problem Seto walked into the bathroom and returned with a brush and sat behind me as he helped me brush my hair.

This of course relaxed me and when he was done he pulled me into his arms as clapped his hands to turn off the lights as he held me until I drifted into what was surprisingly a peaceful sleep.

Jou's POV

Even with the plane as crowded as it was my exhastuion was still catching up with me and I felt my eyes slip closed against my will. I quickly pulled out my iPod and stuffed the buds into my ears turning it on shuffle.

My mood was awful and between the screaming baby and the guy sitting next to me who was coughin as if he had tuberculosis I was ready to be home. With still five hours trapped in this temporary hell I decided that getting some sleep would be best for everyone involved before I stared picking fights with the far too cheerful flight attendants.

It didn't take long for me to calm down enough that even the music faded away and when I opened my eyes again I found myself standing in an unfamiliar clearing and all around me giant crystal obelic like towers jutted haphasardly from the ground that liked like it had been scorched with fire.

"I must be dreaming!" I exclaimed and ran a hand through my tangled hair and began walking through the forest of crystal structures. It didn't take me long to notice that there were skeptical remains that were irregular. Some large and other small and the littered remains of weapons scattered across the landscape. This was once a battle field.

"Jounoich." A voice crept eerily over the vally and I stopped looking nervously around sure a ghost was going to pop out and startle me any moment.

"Hello?" I yelled out and began walking faster through this maze of crystals and corpses trying to find the source of the voice.

"Help us!" The voice pleaded and this forced me to begin running around the crystals until I reached another clearing. This one was many times larger than the onc I started out in. In the center was a small tomb like crystal structure surrounded by three massive statues made of the same blue/white glass like crystals.

"I expected you sooner Jounoichi." Said the voice and I jumped startled when the source of the cries for help appeared next to me.

"You're... You're the dark magician girl!" I wailed and pointed an causing finger at her in absolute shock, sure this was a dream but I had spent enough time with Yugi and the Pharaoh to know that duel monsters didn't just show up in your dreams for nothing. She smirked at me as she waited for me to regain my composure.

"This is a dream right?" I asked as I ran another bad through my messy hair and gave her an incredulous look and she turned to survey the clearing from where we stood at the opening.

"Sadly no this I not a dream Jounoichi." She said and began to slowly hover into the center where the statues were gathered. I followed her not wanting to be left behind in this creepy place.

"We need you Jounoichi. Both your world and ours is facing a great evil and without you all will fall into darkness." She whispered as she touched the bottom of one of the three giant structures and I noticed for the first time a sword jutting out of the crystal just a foot away from her hand.

"Me? Are you sure you don't mean Yami or something. I mean I'm not really cut out for all this hero stuff I'm just another average Jou." I said as I backed up a couple of steps. She turned back to me then with a dissapointed frown.

"Try and pull the sword and all your doubts will become clear." She said and pointed her slim fingers at the blade. I stared at it afraid, but what was I afraid of? All I had ever wanted was to stand as an equal with my friends. To be of some help in all the crazieness that we always seemed to be getting caught up in. I though briefly of Bakura and poor Ryou who was still being held prisoner by the dark lord Zork and my mind was made up. If I could be of any help to my friends then I would do whatever it took.

I place my hands around the hilt of the sword and began to tug. Expecting it to be much harder to pull I flew back on my but when it slid out like butter. The dark magician girl clapped her hands in excitment and smiled down at me but this was one of my concern.

The ground began to shake and the crystal structure began to shatter and break apart. A great and powerful roar reverberated all around us and with a sudden feeling of righteousness and a complete understanding of what I had to do I stood and held the sword up to the sky.

"Great dragon of ages hear my cry. Spread your wings and fly to freedom, Hermos!" As I called the dragons name he stretched his wings out shaking all the teaming chunks of glass like crystal and roared a mighty roar before he bowed his head an I placed a hand against his scaly muzzle. The magician next to me smiled in glee and called her hands together.

With a start I shot my eyes open finding myself on the plane once again. The words of 'lonely day' by system of a down playing through my headphones. I quickly pulled the buds out and looked around confussed. Was it all just a dream after all?

I felt a heaviness in my pocket that I wished I could ignore but something told me to pull my deck out. I pulled the first card up and flipped it over and immediately dropped it in my lap. Nope, defiantly not a dream.

Picking it back up cautiously and inspecting it a wicked smile spread across my lips. Just wait till Yugi gets a load of this, I bet even money bags would be jealous of this bad ass.

Placing the claw of Hermos card back on the tip of my deck happily and sticking it back in my pocket I looked at the time. Holy cow I slept for almost five hours! But I realized this meant I was almost home and I smiled as my stomach growled. I could t wait to be back where I belonged and see my friends. Hopefully I would forget all the unpleasantness of my trip with time.

Kry: well there you have it folks, Chapter Seventeen down. I feel like I'm on a role here, hopefully I'll have a few chapters to update by the time the fanfiction sight comes back up again. Please review I'm looking for criticism and any suggestions I'm always happy to take into consideration.


	18. Chapter 18

Kry: as always I own nothing and no one but Kyrri and her jerk of a dad.

Lots of things happening in this chapter. Nuff' said now start reading children and remember don't get too excited.

Ryou's POV

Silence surrounded me for the first time in months. Was it months or was it years? Time was an unfathomable thing trapped inside Zork's room of torture. I couldn't open my eyes, I didn't want to destroy the peace that enveloped me for the first time in so long.

The last thing I remembered was pain, endless bone shattering pain that see through every inch of my body, but then there was light and warmth and the presence of something so familiar...

But Zork had sensed this too, his laughter echoing through my mind like a crazed hyaena. He had appeared before me when the light came and with a twisted grin as he shifted into his full demon form. Thousands of teeth not just in his mouth but the mouth on the head of his snake tail that twisted around my lower body and as well began to chomp at my weak flesh. The gnawing sensation was nothing to me, I knew far worse pain.

His laughter shook the space around me as he grabbed my whole face in one of his monsterus clawed hands and lifted me high from the ground like a little rag doll. I knew not to fight. Fighting only caused more pain for me.

He applied pressure against my face, his talons digging deep into my soft skin until I felt them grinding against my skull. Blood dropped down my face and soaked into my dingy tangled hair.

He growled a deep throaty rumble as he thrust me against a wall that suddenly materialized and pressed every inch of his scaly cold flesh against me with a force that was cracking my bones.

He lifted the hand that wasn't covering my face and thrust it into my chest, not fully only just enough for one claw to worn it's way into my skin right above my heart.

I screamed for the first time in longer than I can remember startled by my own voice

and began to thrash against him. My chest was on fire, as if acid was dripping through his claws and into my chest, right into my heart.

"Take your blacked heart and taint everything you touch my pet. Go forth and destroy the harborer of light!" He commanded his voice carrieng the volume of an entire army of dark forces as he thrust his hand into my chest deeper and squeezed my heart tightly. I screamed in agonizing pain again as I felt his darkness pierce me deep within my soul.

Just as quickly as his torture began he dropped me to the floor in a heap and with a snap of his fingers he dissapeared. The light enveloped me like warm arms and I felt myself being pulled from this dark place. Unable to call forth the strength to lift my head or even open my eyes I allowed myself to drift away until I felt nothing.

Silence was my greeting again as I opened my eyes for the first time in what felt like days. Darkness surrounded me but somehow this was different, familiar and conforting. I shifted only to realize I was under a blanket. Taking a deep breath familiar smells overtook my seances and I nestled my head into my pillow. This was my bed, by the love of the gods this was my toom!

"Ryou?" A voice whispered and I must have jumped out of my skin as I scooted across the bed in pure fear. Bakura reached a hand out shocked and placed it on my head.

he brushed some stray hairs away and stared at me, his mahogany eyes soft but apprehensive.

"Bakura? Is that you, really you?" I asked unable to believe that I had somehow escaped. His answering smile was tender and he crawled into the bed to lay next to me and pulled me close against his warm chest. I laid deathly still afraid if I moved even a single muscle that he would become Zork and use this moment of weakness against me.

"I was so lost without you Hikari." He murmured as he pressed his face into my hair. This shocked me silent, not that I was talking much to begin with. He had missed me?

"Hikari?" I questioned, he almost never called me by my title to hin. We never had the same close bond tht Yugi and the Pharoah had with each other. Still he seemed happy to have me home.

"There are many things I kept from you during the time I've been residing within your body. Zork's existence for starters, because I didn't want to burden you anymore than I already have or for you to get caught up in my mess. But when I made the decision to rebel against him he used you to hurt me. Because I have alway cared Hikari, I have just never been able to express it to you. I thought I was a creature of darkness but I've realized I was nothing but a mere pawn." His words were spoken softly but with a great deal of thought as he carefully picked through what he wished to say. I pulled back enough to look him in the eye and was surprised to see moisture rimming his dark eyes.

"I'm glad that you see that it's not all your fault. I know now what he is capable of, and I didn't even spend a fraction of the same amount of time with him as you did. Kura I never knew just how strong you are. I am glad to have been able to carry some of the weight even if ony for a small moment." I said and closed my eyes to rest again, he tightened his arm around me and too soon I began to drift into the quiet nothingness of sleep. Feeling safe for the first time in months as my other half held me.

"Ryou." He said just a I was at the cusp of sleep and I moved my head slightly as it was the only answer I could give.

"I will protect you from now on. No matter what, I promise." He sighed into my hair but I was already fading before the sentance ended.

I woke up cold. Shivering I reached for the blanket tangled at my feet an pulled it up to my chest. Bakura was gone his place beside me empty. This is what finally forced me to open my eyes and survey the room.

The clock said it was one in the afternoon and I sighed and rolled I to my back so I could stare at the ceiling. I didn't even want to get up, all desire to face the world was overshadowed by the crippling fear of facing everyone. My friends who had so easily traded Bakura for myself. I remembered the scene Zork showed me, where everyone was smiling and having fun. They didn't need me, neither did Bakura. I was better off trapped inside the ring, all I would bring is darkness.

Zorks last words played in my head. Taint everything you touch, destroy the harborer of light. What did it even mean? Surely nothing good for the people I care about. Zork had certainly tainted me, turned me into a black hearted monster. My friends were much better off without me.

"Ryou?" Bakura whispered as he cracke open the door. I didn't move but I shifted my gaze to his and he smiled as he pushed his way into the room. I noticed he was carrying a plate with two slices of pizza and a cup of tea. This encouraged me to sit up but once the plate was placed in my lap all I could do wa stare at it like I didn't know what it's purpose was.

He frowned and sat next to me placing a warm hand on my knee and casting his deep brown eyes on my face. I shifted, unsure of how I should act.

"Please eat. You've been asleep for three days." He urged and lifted a slice of the greasy pizza up and motioned as if he wished to feed me. His kindness had me lost as to how to respond. Slowly I opene my mouth and allowed him to shove the corner inside.

For the first bite of food in months I have to say it was pretty delicious. Grease and calories aside, I was pleasantly surprised how hungry I actually was and I snatched the pizza from his hands and began devouring it. When I finished the second slice I pushed the plate towards him and wiped my face with my sleeve noticing for the first time I was wearing fresh cloths.

"Would you like to take a bath?" He asked as he brushed his bangs out of his face. He had his hair pulled back into a band. I nodded, but when he stood and offered his hand to help me I found myself unable to move. Frozen in place I stared up at him with wide eyes. He wanted me to move, to use my own feet and walk into the other room? Even as simple as this sounded my heart began to beat rapidly and I felt sweat on my brow.

"Ryou?" He questioned and cocked a brow at me. I shock my head no and tried to curl in on myself. I couldn't even face him now, how embarrassing that I can't even leave my bed. I felt that if I even took one step I would fall back into that black abyss I spent so much time in.

Somehow he understood this, though I'm not sure how. He bent down and easily scooped me up I to his muscular arms and started to carry me out of the room. I burrowed my rad against his chest and held my breath sure than when I opened my eyes he would be gone and I would be back in Zork's grasp.

He sat me down on the toilet and I ears him turn the water on. Slowly, one at a time I opened my eyes and peeked at him. His back was turned as he poured bath oils into the warm water.

Opening my eyes fully I took several deep breaths to calm my nerves. I was here, still in my own house and perfectly safe so why couldn't I just relax?

"Here let me help you. I'm sure you're sore." He said and very cautiously reached to help unbutton my pajama top. Sure enough I was in pain, every muscle ached in protest as I stretched to undress.

He helped me into the bath and I sighed as my back began to unclench and I leaned back closing my eyes. He stayed deathly silent for several minutes. Long enough for me to open my eyes to see what he was doing.

His eyes were lowered and his fists were clenched tightly. His form was shaking ever so slightly and when I realized he was angry I jerked in anticipation for him to strike me. After a moment when the blow never came I relaxed again and cleared my throat to gain his attention.

"I'm sorry... I just didn't expect you to be so... So hurt." He explained and I glanced down at my body to see for myself. Gashes on top of scars marred my whole body. Some healed while others half healed and even more were fresh. I touched my chest where I could still feel the burning of his talons ripping through me. I could still feel his cold hand squeezing my beating heart as if he was somehow still a part I me.

Without warning I burst into hysterical tears. All the pain, all the loneliness, all the suffering and here I was alive and free. I couldn't distenguish if I was happy or miserable. Too many emotions were raging through me after so long of keeping them bottled up I didn't even know how to handle it.

"Shh Hikari, it's okay. I promise that from now on it will be okay."Bakura continued to whisper in a hushed voice as he practically climbed into the tub fully dressed so that he could wrap his arms around me.

"I will never be okay again!" I wailed and he tightened his grip. He said nothing else and neither did I. I didn't want to speak, I had nothing to say that would make this to away.

Yugi's POV

When I woke up I stretched like a cat and rolled to throw my arms over Yami only to find myself alone in the giant bed we shared when we stayed at the Kaiba mansion. I quickly sat up to survey my surroundings and realized he wasn't in the room at all.

With a huff I rolled out of the bed and padded across the plush carpet on my bare feet to the bathroom. After peeing, which I have to say is super wired sitting down. I used my fingers to try and brush my hair down but without being able to straighten it there was no hope of containing the unruly spikes.

Giving up I changed into my freshly clean and folded school cloths that Seto's maid had laid out for me, a girl sure could get used to living in such luxury.

I wandered through the Kaiba mansion that was eerily quiet this morning and into the second floor kitchen but found no one so I continued on my way down the stairs into the den and then I walked straight through to the kitchen.

This is where I found Kyrri sitting with a rather large breakfast before her and Seto fussing over her as he insisted she could not have any soda.

She of course was pouting and refusing to eat until he gave her what she wanted all while Yami sat back and watched Seto try and reason with a pregnant spoiled Egyptian princess. Pretty much the same thing that happened every morning for the three days we had been here, it was going to be quiet when we went back to the shop.

"Morning." I said in greeting to everyone as I sat down next to Yami and stole a price of toast off his plate of food. He barley noticed as he kept shoveling food in his mouth.

"Here you are miss." Said a maid as she placed a plate in front of me as well. I looked down excited to see fruit salad and an onmlet.

"Oh Kaiba you might me as well give her what she wants." I sighed as I plopped a strawberry into my mouth. The perks of staying at Kaiba's were amazing but I knew that we couldn't stay here forever. I had the shop to run while grandpa is away after all and we had already been here for a few days.

"No way, not a chance. no caffeine for the baby." Seto said sternly and crossed his arms. Kyrri pouted but after a minute hunger must have won the battle a she began to eat as well still pouting. Seto smirked and took a satisfied sip from his coffee.

"So have you set up an appointment to see a doctor for the baby yet?" Yami asked a his mouth twitched with the ghost of a smile that turned into a smirk.

"Uh... I hadn't really thought about it too much."Was Kyrri's reply as she shrugge her shoulders and Seto pulled out his phone quickly sending a message before he put it bavk in his pocket.

"Don't worry love, Akamenatsu has many brilliant colleagues who specialize as obstetricians. He has already helped get me in line with a fine doctor and I have an appointment set up for tomorrow after school. I was going to tell you after you got done eating. But Yami is right to have a sence of urgency, you said you were over four months?" Seto asked as he raised his brows in question at Yami's twin. She blushed and nodded then to distract herself shoved a piece of banana in her mouth.

"That's in the second trimester, so the risk of miscarriage goes down but you have had no prenatal care up till now and since you didn't actually know you were pregnant you weren't taking any vitamins either?" He asked as he stared at his fingers as if he was going through a list in his head.

"No... No vitamins. How do you know so much about this?" She squeaked in embarrassment and he flashed her a 100 watt smile. I had never seen Seto smile like that before. His eyes crinkled around the corners and he even had tiny dimples indented in his cheeks as he grinned from ear to ear. It was obvious he was excited and when Kaiba gets excited about something he dives in head first. I smiled at their exchange happy that my friends had finally worked out their issues and Kaiba had finally found someone to bring him out of his icy shell.

"I just wish to be prepared. So I did a little reaserch." He defended and picked up her plate as she ate the last crumb off the surface.

"Hey." Mokuba said from the entrance and Seto grinned and commanded him to sit and eat breakfast. The teen gladly took his seat on the other side of Yami and moments later a maid brought him a plate as well. He sat the scales down on the table and I was impressed that he seemed to really understand the power that came with wielding a millennium item. I touched my bare chest where the puzzle should lay except tht it was Yami's puzzle and he held it now.

"So Yugi, how did it feel to loose your junk?" Mokuba asked with a chunk of egg in his mouth and a cocky grin. I froze, how do you even answer something like that? I felt my face growing red and began stuttering as I tried to one up with a reply.

"Mokuba!" Seto scolded and Mokuba shot me a cheeky grin an muttered his apology while Yami shot h a silent glare. It took me a whole ten minutes to regain my composure while Yami rubbed gentle circles on my shoulder.

Sometimes I wished that I had never been given a body if it was just going to turn into some kind of cosmic joke. I got tired of the remarks but I knew that they were only joking. At least the only criticism I got came from my friends since no one else knew.

Actually I guess as far as girls go I must be pretty cute, since jerks at school keep hitting on me. Something that keeps Yami on his toes as he try's to ward off any unwanted suitors. It was pretty funny to watch him get flustered over someone else flirting with me.

But it lead to all kinds of questions about our relationship. I mean were together, I think. He likes to touch me and hold my hand and even kiss me. But he never wanted more than that, unlike other boys who seemed to ony be interested in one thing.

I wasn't even sure why this bothered me, I mean it's not like I know what to do with this body. I wouldn't even know how to please him if the opportunity came. I mean sure I know the basics point A goes in point B, But it's not like I've ever even done it. Even before I lost my man hood.

Then there was always the possibility that he wasn't trying to advance on me because he couldn't get over the fact that I was suddenly female. Prehaps he was actually attracted to the same sex and suddenly I don't fit that bill. Or maybe I'm not as pretty as I thought.

I watched him from the corner of my eye as he chatted with Kaiba about the latest duel disc systems to be released in the next quarter. He was definatly happy right now, he was most of the time. His smile illuminated the space around him and he exuded that presence that must come with being pharaoh that just screamed 'notice me'.

As a matter of fact everyone here did. Seto had his image behind him and his power. Kyrri had the elegance of a princess even if she didn't realize it and Mokuba was still a very powerful and influential member of society even with his recent behavior.

But me, now I'm just Yukko Misake, a transfer student. I'm quiet and basically everything that is the opposite of powerful and elegant. I stuck out like a sore thumb next to my friends. They were all somebody and I was nobody. I didn't even rightfully have my game king title as it had never really been mine to begin with.

Yami rested his hand over mine pulling me from my depressing thoughts. I flashed him a brilliant smile as he stood up. I realized that while I was lost in my own head everyone had finished eating besides a me. I quickly shoveled the rest of my omelet and fruit.

"Hurry up Yugi, were going to be late for school!" Yami sighed as I ran back up the stairs to grab my school bag and we ran out the mansion and into the limo that waited outside.

Kyrri's POV

"Are you going to go to school today?" Seto asked as he leaned against the door frame of his bedroom. I groaned into my pillow knowing he couldn't understand me and he chuckled a he sat down next to me resting a hand on the center of my back.

"It's not fair!" I whinnied with my head turned towards him. He smirked and raised an eyebrow at me in question and I pushed myself up on my elbows and shot off the bed at break neck speed.

I snatched up my horrid school skirt and threw it in his face. He froze up for a second before he reached up and pulled the atrocious garment away with an incredulous look painted on his face.

"I don't see the problem here?" He said with a devious look. I remembered how he had told me a few days ago tht he liked seeing me in my uniform, too bad he won't get the chance to see it again.

"It doesn't fit anymore. I tried laying down, jumping up an down and I can't get it over my damn stomach! It's not fair, I shouldn't be this fat!" I raved as I paced back and forth in front of him. He started to laugh until I shot him a hateful look and he forced his mouth into a tense line trying not to laugh anymore.

"You're not fat Kyrri, you're pregnant." He chuckled as he stood and motioned to help me with my skirt. I crossed my arms in defiance and turned my head from him pouting.

"Well I don't think I should be this pregnant either, I'm a cow, look!" I demanded as I lifted my shirt. A tiny smile graced his lips and he tenativly reached out and pressed his hand against my belly with a look I couldn't identify.

" I'm sure that everything is fine, but if it makes you feel any better I can call and change the appointment to today instead of tomorrow." He suggested as he patted my stomach and leaned down placing a chaste kiss against my sensitive skin. I flushed and looked away. As much as I loved how our relationship was developing sometimes I was shocked at how quickly we moved into an almost married phase. It's true that we had been married in our past life but at the same time I'm only seventeen. Seventeen and pregnant with the worlds most elegibility bachelor an richest mans child all while we have to hide our relationship

"Sure." I amended and stepped away from him to go and change into something that had nothing to do with school. Seto had teen me to get my cloths and a few of my belongings from my house since it didn't look like I wasn't going back anytime soon.

I picked out a red spaghetti strap tank top and a pair of black sweats that had 'bad ass' written in bold red letters down my right leg. I kept my back turned an began to change all the while with Seto burning holes in my back as he shamelessly watched me shamelessly.

"Aren't you going to work?" I asked as I looked at the clock reading 8:05 meaning at this point I would have been late to school even if I was going. He shook his head and opened the bedroom door for me and I followed him out the door

As for school, along the line I had decided I wasn't. This disappointed me because my grades had always been important to me but I just couldn't do it. My mother gave birth to me when she was sixteen, of course having been taped. My grandparents disowned her and that was why she married my dad so that he could support me. It hadn't been easy, many people looked down on her and my fathers family hate me and scorned my mother for not having another child. My fault as well because when I was born mom almost died to give me life.

As a helpless infant I had already ruined two peoples lives, and eventually at six years old I killed my mother because she hated her life and by extension me. What if I was like her, what if I hated this baby?

I came to a sharp halt and threw my arm out to balance myself against the wall. My eyes widened and I froze that way stating at the back of Seto's head distantly as my mind whitrled.

"What's wrong?" Seto yelped as he spun on his heal and grabbed my shoulders. I didn't speak.

What if I'm just like her? I'm only seventeen and if you count the time at Bakura's a few months ago I've already almost killed myself three times. What if I'm so fucked up because she passed her insanity onto me. More importantly what if I pass it down to my baby?

Tear trailed one by one down my cheeks and Seto grabbed my face in his hands but I could barely feel it. I was cold, numb even and all I could do was sink deeper into myself.

I was vaguely aware of the lightness that was me being lifted up and floating away.

This baby, Seto's baby that I was carrying in my womb was the most precious thing I've ever been accountable for. Not only was this child prophesied to be powerful but this was also Seto's baby too. This was suppose to be our second chance.

Because I was too much of coward to admit the truth to him in the past when I had carried our first child. I knew what I had to do to protect my country and I knew that in the end Seth was going to have to shoulder the pain of being the only soul who even remembered us all while he stood in as Pharoah and lead the beautiful country of Egypt into a blissful age of prosperity.

He had enough on his shoulders without adding the sorrow of not only loosing his wife and best friend but also his only child. This was supposed to be my chance to make that up to him. He wanted this so bad, even if he hadn't said it he didn't need to. I could see it in the way he looked at me and the way he touched my stomach or how he would butterfly kissed across my belly.

Seto loved this baby, he loved me. This was hard to swallow. I've literally spent my whole life hating myself and being raised to believe that I was a nuisance. That all I brought to those I loved was pain. Accepting that Seto and I were star crossed lovers destined through time and space was a lot to take in an I was still lost in the newness of everything that came with being loved.

I hadn't even had time to process that I was having this baby. Up until now it had been nothing but an idea. Like I was going to suddenly have this baby without actually haing to carry it. Without actually having to be a mother, not a suprise tht I had no idea how to do this. I had no example to go by. Hell I didn't even have a good example of parenting to go by.

What happens when the baby is like me, tht the depression my mother passed down to me was also passed down to my sweet baby.

My baby would grow up sad, and feeling alone. I don't even know how to be there for someone. I wouldn't know how to help and slowly my child would grow up to hate me just like I hated my mother.

I hated my mother.

Not just in this lifetime but in my past too. I denied it, I always cried when I thought of her death. But I never told a soul that I felt this way. Not even Yami.

But I hated her. For leaving me and Yami when we were only children. For breaking my fathers heart and driving him into a madness that enevitavly plagued the whole world when he created the millennium items that released shadows on the world and even later drove Bakura to join with Zork who was still a problem five thousand years later.

She had doomed the world and everyone I loved to suffer not just once but twice.

All together no matter what set of genetics you look at I was basically screwed on ever being the mother that this baby deserved or even the girlfriend Seto deserved.

I could feel my shoulder shaking, but I couldn't face him so I threw myself farther inward. Into a place so deep in my own head that I no longer heard his desperate cries as he called my name or the shaking of him trying to snap me back to reality.

Seto's POV

"Kyrri for the love of Ra please, please just wake up!" I yelled as I shook her shoulders violently. She laid perfectly still on my bed where I had carried her after she started to panic.

At least I think she was panicking, though I had never seen anything like this before. Normally when she started having an anxiety attack she would hyperventilate and shake. Sometimes even pass out if she was too freaked out but this...

This was different. She was conpletely catatonic. Her eyes were open but glazed over. She was blinking and breathing but tears kept flowing. It was like she wasn't even there, like she couldn't even see me or hear me calling her name.

"MOKUBA!" I screamed across my room and out my open door. I knew he wasn't too far away since he didn't have school and his future didn't start until next monday. Still I made sure to scream as loud as my lungs cod manage.

I turned my attention back to Kyrri and she was even deeper into this terrifying state. She was limp in my arms like a rag doll and I stopped shaking her. This was getting me nowhere.

Mokuba came skidding into the room in a panic holding his new millennium item tightly and cast me an anxious look. I quickly tossed him my cell phone and he caught it gracefully.

"Call the contact listed under OBGYN and explain who you are and that this is an absolute emergency and that I need him to move the appointment to now. Bring whatever he needs and he will be paid more than enough for the inconvenience." His eyes widened and he looked down at Kyrri. I knew that their relationship wasn't great. Our relationship had come at a terrible time for Mokuba and he didn't really like that she had hurt me and basically was the reason why I fled to America alone. Even if I didn't blame her for these things he couldn't help but be apprehensive of her presence in my life.

Still when he watched her for a second and saw her lifeles body I could see worry clear on his easily readable face. He quickly dialed the number as I looked back at Kyrri, she was so still and quiet but her tears made it clear she was in a great deal of pain. Possibly even physical pain.

What if something was wrong with the baby. What if she felt something, or was having a miscarriage and this was her body's reaction to stop herself from having to deal with something so horrible.

I let a few tears of fear fall against her face and brushed her hair out of the way. Her eyes closed but I couldn't tell if she was unconscious or if she was just pulling deeper into this place where I couldn't reach her.

"Seto what's wrong with her, the doctor wants to know." Mokuba asked with wide eyes As he held his hand over the speaker of the phone.

"I don't know. She stopped and grabbed the wall and her stomach and looked like she was in extream pain and then she just broke." I said my voice a few octaves higher in fear.

"What do you mean she broke?" He questioned and took a step closer to see her looking like she was resting except for the fact that she was still crying.

"Like I mean it looked like she was in so much pain that she literally just drew in on herself to escape it. I'm afraid that it has something to do with the baby because of how she grabbed her stomach before this happened."I explained and then hid my face in my hands. For the love of all tht is sacred I can not loose this child. We can't loose this child.

I listened to the sound of Kyrri's even and hallow breathing as Mokuba rushed through his explanation to the doctor on the otherwise of the phone.

"Don't worry about the money damn it. Do you even know about the Kaib family We have more money than you could make in your while career especially if you keep arguing with me about this!" He yelled and for just a fraction of a second through my emotional whirlwind I was proud of him. He was a true Kaiba.

He hung up and then grinned at me for a second before worry replaced the look of satisfaction.

"Te Doctor will be here in less than an hour and he gives his humble apology 'Mr Kaiba'." He said emphasizing how the doctor must have sounded. I lifted my head completely from my hands and grabbed her hand.

"What do you think is wrong with her?" He aske quietly from behind me and I shrugged.

"I don't know Mokuba, but I hope it's not serious." I sighed and closed my eyes again. It was always one thing after another and I wondered if our whole lives were meant to be this way. I had lived my whole life moving one challenge to the next but suddenly all I wanted was the stability of knowing that everything would be okay.

"Me too." He said and I realized he had walked right next to me and looked down at her with sad eyes. I watched him intending to ask why because I knew he didn't care for her but prehaps I misjudged him. Or maybe he had had a change of heart, either way I could see his concern was genuine.

Time passed slowly as we waited and watched Kyrri as she would go from silently crying to sometimes yelping out in pain and grasping her stomach. I was fully convinced that something was wrong but finally my butler knocked on the door of my toom.

"Master Kaiba. A Mr Fukuoka has arrived. If you would follow me he has equipment tha he needs you to show him where he can hook up." The elderly man said as he bowed his head in respect. I nodded and glanced at Mokuba silently asking him to stay by her side. He nodded an I followed the man who had been the Kaiba butler long before I had taken over.

Once in the foyer I came face To face with a very frazzled young man. He wa wearing a doctors coat over a nice suit and shifting around nervousely. This was the best that Akamenatsu could offer, he was barely older than myself but I suppose that age didn't always equal greatness. I was proof of that.

" greetings dr Fukouka thank you for this." I greeted as I thrust my arm out towards him to shake his hand.

With haste I showed the doctor into the auxiliary room where he directed my servants where to set up the ultrasound machine e had brought with him for this home visit.

Once he was busy directing the servants I quickly returned to my room and scooped Kyrri up in my arms commanding Mokuba to stay away from the auxiliary room lest he disturb the ultrasound. He frowned but nodded and said he was going to study until dinner.

When I returned to the doctor he instructs me to lay her on a table that I wasn't even a hundred percent sure where it came from. I stuck a cushion from the long sofa under her head and he instructed the servants to turn the light off on their way out.

"Your brother said that she grabbed her stomach in pain before this episode started?" He asked and I nodded and took her hand. He pulled out the ultrasound wand and applied gel to it asking me to lift up her shirt.

"I'm going I check for a heart beat first and make sure everything is okay with the baby, then I will check on mom. How far along is she?" he asked still holding the device above her.

"She is four months and one week exactly. We only just found out about three days ago." I explained as I looked at her slightly swollen stomach and remembered her words this morning about thinking that something was wrong evacuee she was gaining eight so fast. The doctor nodded and then placed the sonogram machine on her stomach.

I turned my attention to the small screen that the machine was hooked up to as he moved the stick around until we heard a rythnic vrating.

Except something wasn't right after all. The noise was jumbled and there were too many beats overlapping each other. The doctor gasped and pulled away only to shift it to the otherside of her stomach and then once more to the top.

"What's going on doctor?" I panicked and clutched her hand tighter. He cleared his throat and looked at me before he looked back at the screen pulling my attention briefly to the disbelief painted on his face.

"It seems that there is more than one baby Mr Kaiba." He said and I dropped her hand.

"Twins?" I asked shocked standing up to move closer to the screen. He shook his head and replaced the ultrasound stick where he found the first baby. Pausing so that I could clearly hear and see the heard beat on the screen. Then he shifted it to the second baby and did the same.

"Congratulations Mr Kaiba your the lucky father of triplets." He spoke softly as he hovered the device over the third baby. I felt my arms go slack and my mouth plop open in a very unprofessional gape but found I could stop myself from reacting this way. My head was spinning.

"Triplets?" I gasped and reachedout to touch the screen ever so slightly. He aloes me a moment of silence as I took in this information as he continued to move from one fetus to another.

"Aren't triplets extreamly rare. Especially in someone so young?" I asked desperate to understand how this had happened.

"Does Miss Rutherford have a family history of multipls?" He questioned as he pulled the device away and wiped off the gel from Kyrri's stomach.

"She was a twin." I said but didn't mention tha this was in her previous lifetime. It saddened me to realize I knew little to nothing about her current life. He nodded and began to take notes in what I assumed To be a patient chart.

"Well that can bring the chances up. It seems that this was coincidental. Two of the triplets are identical meaning that hey spit from the same embryo while the third is fraternal meaning that a separate sperm fertilized this seperate egg." He explained and I nodded taking this information in.

"I would imagine that the pain she was feeling was just her body stretching faster than it should since this is a multi pregnancy. Since she is so young and a with most multiple fetus pregnancys she will be at a high risk. For now I suggest that she take it easy, but there will probably come a time when she will require full bed rest." He continued and I listened making sure to remember every detail.

"Would you like to know the sexes of the babies?" He asked suddenly as I looked up sirprised.

"Yes, but can you show us officially when she is awake?" I asked with a small smile. Nothing was wrong, the children were healthy and I realized with a swell of happiness that this house wouldn't seem so empty soon.

"Our secret." He assured and pulled up a few photos he took of the ultrasoud.

"The identical set are girls while the fraternal is a boy." He said as he showed me all the pictures. I smiled and thanked him.

Just to be sure he checked Kyrri's vitals and when we were sure that she was okay and that whatever happended was due to hr anxiety and that nothing was physically wrong he stood and turned the lights back on.

"Well go ahead and keep the appointment tomorrow I have much better equipment at my office and we can run the proper blood work. For now I suggest getting her on a good prenatal vitamin and make sure that she is drinking plenty of water and juice and milk and that her diet is healthy. She will need all the resources she can get." He said as he packed away his equipment. I thanked him again and called my servants back to help him get the machine in his car. Before he left I wrote him a sizable check nade thanked me kindly in teturn.

Afterwards I picked Kyrri up and moved her back to my bed where I tucked her in and kissed her head. She had long since stopped crying and was actually asleep so I left her to rest and made my way into my home office.

I kept my goofy very un-Kaiba like grin the whole time I was catching up on my work. I hadn't quite figured out how we would handle this but I knew we would. Only an hour ago I was sure that she was loosing the baby only to learn that not only were they healthy but that there were three children for me to love.

I didn't know it was possible for me to be this happy and excited. But I was glad for the change in my life. No way could I go back to being how I used to be. Now that I had a taste for true happiness I couldn't ever let it go.

Kry: oh goodness, it's so hard for me to write mushy stuff. I don't have anything good I. My life to base it off of so if it came off wrong please let me know what I can do to help their relationship flow better.

And that bomb shell huh? Triplets, but not jut any triplets but Kaiba triplets. I figured everyone does twins when they have characters have babies but hardly anyone ever writes about triplets.

Anyways does anyone else love how Kaiba is developing I to a real life human being. If only I had someone to show me the kind of love I hope I am creating for him and kyrri... As always please review. I'm thinking about shifting my attention to a DBZ fanfiction I have in mind but I don't want to dissapointed anyone so let me know if you love this story.


	19. Chapter 19

Kry: CHAPTER TWENTY PEOPLE! Half way through the story and I'm already thirty-thousand ahead of what I had originally intended… Oops… Oh well.

I have a few announcements to make. First and foremost I have spent the last two weeks completely editing all 19 chapters that came before this one. I have fixed (hopefully) all grammar and spelling errors and also changed a few small things. I encourage and fans this story has, if any to please reread. I promise its worth it as there is a little more character development and I feel that the overall story plot flows better now that I'm able to edit on a computer.

But if you don't want to reread but still feel like you need to know you can always PM me and I will do my best to catch you up.

Please review, but more importantly follow and favorite ;)

Yami's POV

I walked to our lunch table quietly, Yugi and I didn't share the class right before lunch this year. So I had to meet her at out usual spot, three tabled in from the door on the left side of the large room. As I reached my destination I smiled in greeting at Jou who was sulking as he stared at the tables top.

"Do you need me to buy you lunch?" I asked as I sat down across from him noticing that he had no food. He shook his head and continued to glare at his hands. I too frowned, sad for my friend due to his misfortunes.

"Hey I'm sorry about Anzu. You deserved better than that." I smiled when he looked at me for the first time. His face hardened but he shook it off and plastered a fake grin on his face while running his hand through his blonde locks. A habit of his when he was nervous or angry or even when he was very upset.

"You know what man, her loss. Where's Yugi?" He asked in a hushed voice as he looked around the lunch room. I too glanced around myself to find my Hikari, I think he may have found her about the same time I did because he stood up. I stood as well and started to storm across the crowded room completely ignoring my food tray as it tumbled to the flood off the edge of the wobbly table.

Jou grabbed my arm just as I got I to earshot and I turned to glare at him, until I heard Yugi's feminine giggle. I whipped my head around and watched her as she smiled up at the boy in front of her. He was taller than myself and more muscular but that was no matter I could easily take this punk down for bothering my Yugi.

Except she wasn't bothered. I watched in muted shock with Jou beside me as she pulled one arm up to twirl her hair and wrapped the other around her waist. A blush played across her pale cheeks as she laughed at what ever this asshole whispered. She never looked at anyone else besides me, that was my look. The boy leaned forward even closer to her and said something I couldn't hear and Yugi reacted by smiling even more and batting her thick lashes up at the asshole. He blushed as well and cleared his throat.

"Would you like to go out sometime Yukko?" He said louder as he awkwardly shifted around on his feet. Her eyes widened and she looked around nervously, that was when she spotted me. Still being held by Jou and still frozen in shock.

She stepped forward completely ignoring the boy trying to ask her out but I turned and bolted out of the door. I was so angry I was shaking. How could Yugi stand there and flirt with some nobody? Was I not enough for her? I was a Pharaoh, it doesn't get any more eligible than that! Sure I don't really know what I'm doing as far as love is concerned but I knew I love her. I have loved Yugi sincere lest kingdom, when he saved me from myself before I killed Kaiba. He showed me a different way to live, he showed me light when I thought that all that was left for me was darkness. Yugi gave my life meaning, she had set me free.

If I had any doubts before that what I felt was love and not misplaced gratitude it was shattered when I watched her blush and swoon for another man. I had never felt jealousy like this before. I ran up to the roof and sat in a corner. I had never felt this particular brand of anger before. Yugi had betrayed me, even if this was just some misunderstanding. When she looked into my eyes she knew that she was wrong. I saw it in her violet orbs as she reached for me.

Surely she would apologize if I returned. I glanced at my still shaking hands. It was little matter now. The damage was done, obviously I was doing something to displease my little light. Was I a good mate? I mean boyfriend or whatever me and Yugi were... I tried to be affectionate, I tried to touch her often. I made sure that I always smiled when she made me happy and that I always said good morning and goodnight.

Perhaps I was bad at this, in Egypt I had never had time for romance. Never even been kissed, I was awful at this and now because of my ineptitude I was going to loose the most important person in my whole life. With these troubling thought in my head I stormed back down the stairs to the roof and through the empty halls.

"What do you expect Yug he watched you giggle and bat your lashes for that twit. Of course he's upset..." I heard Jou as him and my mate ran around the corner surely looking for me. She literally ran right into me and I grabbed her shoulders and gently pushed her back.

"Yami oh my god I'm so..." I glared at her to silence her apology as I held a hand in her face. She popped her mouth open and tears gathered in the corner of her eyes but I forced myself to ignore it.

"Stop I don want to hear it. I have to go." I said and took off running again. I didn't want to be here, I only kept coming to a here to make Yugi proud of me but if I was going to be forced to watch as she flaunted her pretty little figure around for everyone to see then I refused to be a part of it.

Besides this world was far ahead of me, it would be lucky if I ever caught up. I wasn't the same as Bakura, he had the dedication to learn. He actually wanted to become someone and struggled everyday for it. I wasn't meant for this place, my job was to help protect the earth and I wouldn't accomplish that by using the foil system or learning calculus.

I ended up at the game shop and I fumbled with my keys to unlock the door but when I twisted the knob it was already open. Immediately on high alert I crept quietly though the shop to find the intruder.

"Jii-chan?" I jumped as he poked his grumpy old face around the corner at me. He looked me up and down clearly trying to decipher if I was Yugi or not and when he glared at me I knew he was aware who I was.

"Pharaoh, where the hell is my grandson?" He demanded and I paled and took a step backwards. Yugi hadn't told him yet about her new body because she hadn't know. How, she had been ignoring her grandfathers phone calls.

"Well that's complicated." I muttered not really knowing what to say. His whole face turned red and he swung a rolling pun at me.

"Don't give me that bologna. You ignore my calls for months and I come home to find you still stealing my grandsons body and some girls stuff everywhere! Who do you have in my house?" I began to sweat at his accusations. How could I tell him that Yugi was the girl, that not only had she been given a body but the body of a woman. How would the old man handle such news.

"I really shouldn't be the one to explain it." I said quietly and he swung again this time actually hitting me across he four-head. I leaned back shocked as stars shot across my vision.

I knew when to retreat and so without another glance I yelled the words I'm sorry and ran out of the house with my hands over my head. He kept screaming behind me about how I better not show my face at his home until I returned Yugi to him in his own body  
. Sure I could have stopped him or sent him to the handle realm but I would never too that to Yugi.

My head was pounding as I ran towards the Kaiba mansion. I could not heal anyone not even myself. This was not a fruity worthy of the pharaoh so I had never been taught. I knew I had to find Kyrri or Seto and so I ran the entire stretch to his mansion.

By the time I reached his large house I was red in the face and my eye was swollen shut since apparently he had clips me just below my eyebrow. I pressed the button to his gate and waited for the j intercom to come on.

"Master Yami, please come in." Said the butlers voice through the magic box and the gates opened. I ran up the long drive until I reached the door and the butler was waiting to open it for me.

"Yami what's the matter, oh my god are you okay?" Kyrri asked as she stood by the door and grabbed my face between her hands to inspect the damage to my head. Now that I was here and I had nowhere else to go my emotions hit me like I brick wall.

"I saw Yugi flirting with another boy at school and I mean she was the one flirting. So I ran and went to the shop and his grandpa was there except he doesn't know about Yugi since she wont talk to him and I didn't want to be the one to tell him so he hit me with a rolling pin because he assumed that I was still taking over Yugi's body!" I blubbered through my explanation as the water works started. I hated crying but somehow the knot on my head was making me unable to controls the tears.

Kyrri threw her arms around me in a comforting hug and I noticed Kaiba for the fist time as he stood behind her and touched my head lightly. Upon contact I felt a titling of pure energy and my headache stopped. Only a few minutes longer and I was able to gain control and wipe my tears away.

I pulled back and shot them both a small thankful smile. I noticed that Kyrri was dressed in a pair of black leggings and a thin red sweater. Her hair was pulled up into a thick bun on the top of her head and Kaiba was wearing one of his designer business suits with his hair slicked back looking very professional.

"Are you going somewhere?" I asked as I took in their appearance. Seto smiled brilliantly making me wonder how he had hidden such a happy side for so long and Kyrri blushed madly and looked at her feet. Or rather her stomach since her baby bump had become more noticeable over the last few weeks, even if I hadn't known why she was gaining wight at first.

I reached out and placed a hand on her swollen belly. She smiled and locked eyes with me and I stared back. When we looked at each other like this it was almost like we could read each others minds or more accurately like we had a language all out own. Ever since we were children we could just look at each other and know.

She was scared, I could read it on her face and in her ruby eyes as she looked helplessly at me. Something had her terrified but she was trying not to show it so I kept silent.

"Were going to the ultrasound. Do you want to come?" She asked hopefully and I looked up to Seto to make sure that it was okay with him. He smiled in welcome and held the door open for us.

"I think that's a good idea. Something to take your mind off of everything else." He said and I smiled back, indeed. This is just what I needed I had no idea what an ultrasound was but I knew it had something to do with the baby and the prospect of being able to be present with my sister in this moment was too good to pass up.

Kyrri's POV

I was glad that Yami decided to come to the appointment with me. I was petrified, after yesterday's freak out I wasn't sure if I could handle this but I kept these fears tucked deeply in my own mind not wanting to upset Seto. At least I was sure now that I didn't hate my baby. I couldn't hate my baby I loved this life so much. But that wouldn't stop my child from hating me because I end up being a shitty mother.

I watched the road as we drove to the doctors office and began to chew my nails thoughtfully. I had a lot on my mind, I had since yesterday. Seto was acting like nothing happened but I remembered. This made me wonder how bad it must have been for him to ignore it all together. He must think I'm crazy now.

He and Yami ended up talking about duel monster strategies and I listened quietly as Seto explained a strange dream he had last night. He went on to say that he was taken to a strange land that resembled a battle field only with giant crystals jutting out of the earth and that he had seen this place in his deams before. This caught my attention but just as I was about to ask him about it the limo came to a stop.

I panicked but forced myself to steady my breathing. This wasn't going to be that bad, It's just a doctors appointment. He would tell me everything was fine and then I would go home. A part of me wanted to jump out of the limo and bolt even if I couldn't run for shit right now. My stomach my stomach in painful knots.

Seto helped me out of the car and Yami followed us. I followed Seto to the receptionist desk as he told the pretty brunette behind the counter that I had an appointment with a Dr. Fukuoka. She smiled brightly and printed off a couple of forms for me to fill out while we waited. Once we sat down I busied myself with the questions but came to a halt when I reached the part about my fathers family history.

"What's wrong sweet heart?" Seto asked when he noticed how still I suddenly got and I looked up sadly.

"I don't know my father's family history." I explained and while Seto immediately understood because I had told him about bits and pieces of my past but Yami was clueless and he watched me curiously.

"What do you mean?" My brother asked and I looked at my paper so I didn't have to make eye contact.

" my mother was raped and that is how I was conceived the man who raised me after her death was not my actual father." I decided to be truthful, lining had gotten me nowhere in the past and Yami gasped as the implications of my words became clear to him. He rested a hand on my arm and squeezed tightly.

I skipped over that whole section after only writing N/A and finished it. Seto took it from me and carried it up to the little desk where the receptionist sat tapping her foot and idly doing something on her computer. She flashed Seto a cute smile as he handed her the papers but he paid her no mind and quickly turned away.

It wasn't long before the doctor called us back and with each step I took my heart sped up and my anxiety rose. Why did this have to be so hard, shouldn't I be excited or something.

"Mr. Kaiba, Miss Rutherford what a pleasure it is to meet you." The doctor said as he greeted us with a smile. Seto shook his hand an I tightly smiled at him still very nervous.

"And who is this?" He asked as he stuck his hand out for Yami to shake as well. Yami smiled and introduced himself.

"My name it Yami, Kyrri is my sister." He said and the doctor nodded as he looked between us.

"Well let's get this show on the road." The doctor said as he lead us back.

"First we need your weight. If you would just step up on the scale." He instructed and so I did as I was told. I realized I had gained nine pounds which didn't sound like much but I hadn't gained a single pound in years. Now I sat at 137lb. Fukuoka made notes on his little clip board and we continued into a small room.

"Mr Rutherford, you are welcome to stay but just so you know we will be asking some very personal questions today's if it's less awkward your welcome to wait in the waiting room until the ultrasound or your welcome to stay." He said while looking at Yami and getting his last name wrong but there was no reason to correct him.

"Ah, well that's okay. As long as you don't mind..." He asked while looking at me for permission to stay and I smiled. Forget awkward I wasn't prepared to face this alone. I needed my big brother with me even if he was only older by me by a few minutes give or take five thousand years.

"Then it's settled. How's about we get started. First off, your almost three months the right?" He asked and I nodded as he sat down in a chair opposite of the patient table I sat on. Seto stood behind me with his hands testing gently on my shoulders and Yami was sitting in the only other chair in the room.

"Okay how's about your sex life? Obviously you've been sexually active given the circumstances of your visit." He asked with a calm face but I coughed nervously as Seto's hand tightened ever so slightly against my shoulders and Yami blushed and cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Ah well umm... I mean... I wouldn't call it a sex life. Just the one time." I muttered with my eyes glued to my lap. Seto's hands stayed tight against me and I wondered if this was a problem for him.

"Oh that's a surprise." The doctor said an I shot my eyes up to glare at him. When he realized what he said his own face flushed a little.

"I mean, I just thought since the father was Seto Kaiba the worlds most eligible bachelor... I mean, oh never mind. So only one time. Next question, your minstrel cycle is it usually regular?" He asked and again I lit up like a Christmas tree. If I had known this was going to be so awkward I would have made both men wait in the waiting room.

"No, sometimes it is but more often than not I skip a month or two. That's why I wasn't aware immediately when I became pregnant." I explained and the doctor nodded while Yami pretended that the wall was the most interesting thing he had ever laid his eyes on.

"Alright well, I need to take a blood sample Just to rule out any possible illnesses or sexually transmuted diseases. Also to make sure we know your blood type." He said and I returned my gaze back to my lap.

"Needles. Great." I said as he stood and washed his hands at the small sink in the corner of the brightly lit room. He put gloves on and then opened a new needle and three tubes for blood.

He sterilized my arm and I shut my eyes Tightly until it was over. Hissing in protests when the needle stung my arm and Seto rubbed soothing circles on my back.

"Alright, if you will all follow me into the ultrasound room I'll just drop these off with one of the nurses to be filed." He said and glad to stand as I was very nervous I jumped down off the table.

We followed Fukuoka to a desk with several nurses chatting idly. When we walked to the desk every single one of them eyed my Seto. With wide eyes and obviously, obnoxiously even they blushed and as we walked away with the doctor I turned to watch as one pulled out her phone and they all began whispering like school girls.

I glared at the back of my brothers head, something about that exchange didn't settle well with me. Surely they were just surprised to see Seto Kaiba here... Oh my god. I whipped back around and stomped up to the nurses station and put my hands I. My hips and glared at the nurse who was still holding her phone while the others ogled at the screen giggling like teenagers.

"Phone. Now." I demanded with one arm extended out in Front of the blond. All three of them looked up shocked. The one I. Question quickly narrowed her eyes at me.

"Excuse me?" She asked already with an attitude. I reached out and took the cell phone from her hand.

By this point Seto had come to stand behind me and he snatched the device up angrily. Not before I saw the photo of me nervously standing about with Seto's arm around my waist and my clearly noticeable baby bump on my thin frame. Seto was looking at me so gently while I wasn't paying attention. Standing further behind us and doctor Fukuoka Yami was brooding.

"Mr Fukuoka would do well to replace such impotent staff such as yourselves. I'm sure the term patient doctor confidentiality rings a bell with even simpleton like you. I'll be taking this, and you will be lucky not to hear from my lawyer. Do I make myself clear?" Seto snapped the phone in half and shoved it into his pocket.

Just for good measure I glared back at the nurses and couldn't help my childish desire to stick my tongue out at them as they slunk farther behind the desk. Then I turned around to look up at the doctor. He had paled considerably at the exchange.

" You will make sure that this doesn't happen again sir, my fiancées reputation is far to important to jeopardize." I sneered and he nodded.

"Understood ma'am. To you and Mr Kaiba my sincerest apologies. This will never happen again." I expected Seto to take over from here but he stayed silent. I glanced up at him to see his whole face lit up and his eyes wide. But slowly he smiled that special brilliant smile that lit up his whole face and eyes sparkling. Odd, whatever. I just wanted to get this over with and go home. Obviously it was not a good idea to be out in public anymore with Seto. A fact that saddened me since we hadn't even been on an official date.

"Okay let's just do this already." I sighed and stared walking again so that everyone else would get the hint. Fukuoka regained his composure and led us into a large room. There was a large screen TV monitor, probably a 52" hooked up to a large machine that I recognized as the sonogram machine. Next to the machine was a leather bed that was much like a patient bed but much nicer looking. Seto surely spared no expense in picking the best obstetrician.

"Do I need to change my cloths?" I asked in annoyance and I noticed thy my aggravation was bothering Seto. I tried to remember that this was suppose to be a special moment for us, but that was hard when I was already scared enough about this all.

"No you chose a good outfit and it shouldn't be a problem." The doctor smiled and patted the leather surface of the bed and I hopped up and laid back. I looked up at my boyfriend and smiled reaching my arm out to hold his hand. This cheered him up as he stepped forward and placed a chaste kiss on my four-head.

When I opened my eyes again Yami was sitting in a chair that he scooted to be closer and Seto remained standing next to me head still holding my hand.

The doctor was now siting on a stool and he was messing with the computer a he booted up the program. He turned and ordered me to lift my shirt and push my leggings down to my hip bone. I did so nervously and he lifted up a little plastic sheet and staple it over my lower half.

He grabbed a soft tape measure and he stretched it across my abdomen. He made a note in my patient file. Then he sat back in his stool and pulled out the ultrasound wand and then a tube of gel. I knew what to expect, I ha taken health classes on the reproductive systems.

The doctor smiled and he placed the wand against my skin. I looked up at the large screen and a rapid beating sound filled the air. For just a moment I was in silenced awe as he shifted the wand until he found the source of the beating. But then the rhythm changed and it was jumbled up. Surely this wasn't right.

"What's wrong. What's that noise, should it sound like that?" I panicked and tried to sit up to better see the screen but Seto gently held me down by placing his free hand on my shoulder with his eye glued to the screen and a brilliant smile plastered on his face.

"Oh my." Fukuoka said and shifted the wand across my stomach. Another beating took dominance over the others and I stared at the screen in shock.

Tiny hands, feet and a head were in clear site. Wiggling around ever so slightly, this was my baby. Tears prickled in my eyes and that was when I saw it. The doctor shifted just a little and I could clearly see the other baby, both of them so close together they were almost touching

Before I even had time to process this the doctor moved the wand slowly back to it's original position and then shifted it down maybe an inch. Another baby was clear to see, this one separated from the others.

The shock hadn't hit me yet. I was still stuck on how amazing this was. I could see the heart beating in this tiny humans chest. Just as I had with the other two. This was crazy, but it was beautiful. My babies, our babies.

Oh my god... Babies, three of them.

"Holy mother of Ra! What? Oh god you have got to be kidding me!" I laid back completely flabbergasted. Triplets. Triplets! Three babies, I'm only seventeen years old! I can't be the mother of triplets I don't even know how to take care of one child let alone three.

Seto walked forward dropping my hand and actually touched the screen on the wall. He turned then and gave me the happiest look he could muster.

"Challenge accepted." He said and I actually laughed. Somehow I must be delusional to think that I could handle this. I've broken and lost my mind, But he looked so damn happy and I felt happy.

"Wait, what's going on?" Yami asked standing up too and walking closer to us.

"It seems that you will be the uncle of triplets. Congratulations." Mr Fukuoka said to my brother and then turned to me to congratulate me.

I didn't even react, this was too much to handle. Yami gasped and then he too laughed but I wasn't sure at what.

"Good job Kaiba, you sure are going to have your hands full." He said and lightly punched Seto on the arm. Seto remained unruffled.

"How did this happen?" I asked turning my attention to the doctor as he watched the exchange. He returned his business face

"Besides the obvious answer that when two adults are in love... It seems that two separate eggs were fir tilled by different sperms and that one of these eggs split into a Seto of identical twins while the third fetus is fraternal. Would you like to know the sexes of your children. Normally I wouldn't be doing an ultrasound until five months but you never had one early on and I can tell you now if you like." I was sure he was trying to distract me from my freak out and conveniently it worked as I looked back at the screen.

"This one here is a boy. He is the fraternal triplet. Over here the identical set are both girls. All identical twins are the same gender and will look genetically the sane. Even have the same fingerprints.

Yami's POV

Seto balanced my sleeping sister in his arms as we walked out of the doctors office. I watched him as he smiled as he nuzzled his face into her pulled up hair.

Once we reached the limo his driver opened the door for us and helped him balance his way in to the car while still cradling her in his arms.

I climbed in behind him and sat down across from the couple. Kyrri was resting peacefully probably exhausted from the whole ordeal. After all she was sharing her life force between the four of them now. I shook my head to myself, how crazy it was to think that soon j would be an uncle to not just one little half Kaiba but three.

He stayed quiet and just watched her. The grin never left his face, it was obvious how happy this made him an I was happy for my friend. We had out ups and downs but at the end of the day Seto was my best friend. He always had been.

"Your pretty pleased with this all I take it?" I asked and he looked up at me, his face was so lit up he looked like the young man he actually was instead of the hard business man be pretended to be.

"You have no idea how lucky I am." He whispered so as to not wake up the sleeping princess. I smiled and nodded but he continued.

"No I mean it. When I died, I was an old man. The greatest Pharaoh that Egypt could remember, I had no heirs. I could never bring myself to love another. I spent more of my life without the two of you than I did with you, but every moment was more precious than all the time I spent alone... When I died my last wish was to forget you. Forget her, just like the world had." He looked down and caressed her sleeping face brushing air from it that had come loose from her bun. The look in his cerulean eyes was intense and serene.

"Somehow I think that was why I denied this all for so long, I got my wish. I forgot even with you right in my face every time we dueled demanding I face my destiny... But when I saw her, when I remembered everything and realized that I got to have a second chance. That we all got a second chance!" he looked back up at me with a genuine smile lighting his bright blue eyes.

"And now this, I am getting not only my old family but I have Mokuba and now I have children of my own. Heirs to my new throne, an empire that I destroyed and rebuilt with my own hands. I have everything Yami, I literally have more than I could have ever imagined. I am more lucky than I can even explain." His words silenced me as did the honesty in his voice and the shining truth in his eyes. This was possibly the first time I had ever seen Seto so grateful. I found myself smiling with him. He was right we were lucky, I was so glad that he and Kyrri finally had each other and now I had Yugi too, or did I?

"Oh Seto." Kyrri murmured as she her eyes fluttered open and she reached one of her shaky hands up to cup his face. I found I couldn't look away from the tender moment as he locked eyes with her and they just stared at each other speaking through their own bond that was much diferent than ours. More like what I had with Yugi, this just made me even more upset but I refused to ruin the .

"Is that really how you feel?" She asked quietly and leaned up to kiss Seto softly before she leaned her head back down on his waiting arms.

"Best. Destiny. Ever." He said each word with meaning. She shifted so that she was sitting up more but he was still holding her close.

"I love you Seto Kaiba." She whispered and hugged him tightly before she turned sheepishly to me with a grin.

"So uncle Yami, your going to help babysit right?" she asked and I laughed, like gel I could be accountable for a baby. A whole country sure price of cake but a crying infant. A snow ball had a better chance in hell. She stuck her tongue out and day all the way up sitting next to her lover. I smirked and gave her an evil look.

"So fiancée huh, when's the wedding?" I asked referring to what she had said to those Dr. Fukuoka. She turned bright red matching her eyes and Seto smiled triumphantly.

"Did I say that?" She squeaked and I chuckled.

"Yes you did actually love. I never thought that you would be the one to propose." Seto teased as he rubbed the back of his fingers across her cheek. She paled.

"Oh my god I'm sorry. I didn't mean it really it just slipped out. I mean were already married kind of anyways aren't we. I mean not legally and not in This life I just... It felt like the right thing to say..." She panicked a little as she tried to explain herself and he merely laughed some more.

"Don't worry baby, I'll ask you proper and when I do it will take your breath away." He whispered in her ear and she blushed looking away. It was cute how awkward she could be, a perfect match for Seto who basically created the meaning for awkward.

"Are you coming to the mansion or should we drop you off at the shop?" He turned his attention to me and I stuttered trying to decide. I couldn't go to the shop because Jii-chan was there but Yugi was probably at the mansion by now and I didn't really want to deal with that right now.

"I guess I'll just stay with you guys..." I said and then looked out of the window. I realized we were almost to Kaiba corp.

"Do you have to go to work Seto? I mean today has already been plenty eventful hasn't it?" Kyrri asked as we pulled in front of the ginormous building.

"Sadly I do but only for a few hours today. I have several meetings that I just could not push back any further. I've missed more work here recently than I ever have and now more than ever we need the company to support our growing family." He said and kissed her deeply as his driver opened his door. She sighed and pouted as he exerted the vehicle.

The drive back to the mansion was peaceful. Kyrri had changed seats to that she laid down next to me and placed her head in my lap. It was rare that we got a moment completely alone and I'm sure she enjoyed it just as much as I was. I ran my fingers over her neatly pulled up hair as she close her eyes.

"Are you tiered?" I asked and she mumbled incoherently before she opened her crimson eyes again.

"Yes and no. I'm just worried about the future. Now seems like the most inopportune time to be pregnant. He have no plan to stop Zork, theirs some unknown new evil and even Mokuba has enough problems for Seto to deal with. But I think I finally decide that I'm happy. It's been so very long since I was happy and for now... I just want to stay happy. At all costs..." Her words struck a chord in me and I looked down to agree but she was already asleep.

Once we were back to the mansion I tried to lift Kyrri up and found her to be heavier than I would have guessed. I still managed and I carefully shifted the two of us out of the car with the drivers help. I carried her inside to find Yugi siting on the couch.

When she saw me her eyes widened and then she looked at my sleeping sister worried. I walked to the couch that she wasn't using and laid my sister down so she could rests. I would take her to her shared room with Kaiba but I didn't think I could carry her up so many flights of stairs.

Yugi stood quietly behind me. I kept my back turned to her as I maneuvered towards the stairs.

"Is she okay?" Yugi asked quietly. I sighed but turned to look at her trying to avoid her guilty amethyst eyes. Instead I focused on her four-head knowing if I looked her in the eyes with that pouty face I would crumble and I wasn't ready to forgive her actions

"Yes. She is merely sleeping." I explained and went to turn but before I got even a fraction of an inch away she spoke again and tried to move closer to me but didn't touch me again.

"How did the appointment go?" She asked having guessed where I was. I looked at Kyrri just so I didn't have to look at my Hikari. Still to hurt to face her knowing that she was loosing interest in me and there was nothing that I could do to fix it.

"Kyrri and the babies are fine." I said and tired for the third time to escape but she grabbed the edge of my school jacket halting me with my back turned.

"Babies?" She asked surprised and I turned back to her briefly with a sigh before I explained the situation to her.

"Yes she is having triplets." I said and waited until her shock wore off. She took a few steps to me and moved her hand to touch my hand and I recoiled away. All I could think about was how she had purposefully flirted with that other boy today and I didn't understand why she looked so upset, wasn't I the one who should be sad?

"Yami..." She sighed sadly and dropped her hand. I looked at her the anger filling me up again.

"No, we're not going to do this here. We're not going to do this at all. Yugi go home." I said and watched as her face morphed in to sorrow and tears prickled in her eyes.

"Come with me." she gasped and pulled her arms around her tiny midsection as if she was going to fall apart. I took little notice to this though feeling my own heart ache.

"No." I forced out hating how it rolled off my tongue, and the look of betrayal as tears pooled in the corners of her eyes threatening to spill over the threshold and down her cheeks. I turned my head then unable to face the misplaced hurt, I was the one hurting. I was the one who would end up alone when she moved on to someone better than myself.

"But why?" her voice quivered and cracked at the end, she was barely holding sobs back and her brows were knit together. I'm sure my own face mirrored hers and I threw a shaking hand out to hit the nearest object to me, Kaiba's expensive wall but luckily I didn't even dent the pristine surface. Yugi jumped but remained silent while I gathered my thoughts, stilling her sobs into tiny hiccups.

"I just need time to think." I grunted out in response while looking back at her sadly, my heart was pounding so fast and my hands were shaking, especially the one against the wall and I pulled back to realize that I may have broken my finger, as it was already swelling.

"Then I'll come back in a few days." She said hopefully widening her innocent eyes at me in question. I shook my head and looked at the floor, how do I make her understand. If I set her free then she can be with whoever she wants to be with and I won't get in the way. Yugi deserved better than me, so much of my existence was spent in the dark. I barely knew how to be the hero that the world expected me to be or that she needed.

"Listen. Yugi, obviously we rushed in to this before we both knew what we wanted. I think it's best if you go home." I tried to keep my voice calm but I'm sure she could hear the sadness and I averted my gaze to the stairs wishing I could escape into the room I used here and isolate myself until this pain ebbed away. She stayed silent and looked at the floor dejectedly. Obviously she had nothing else to say and I wanted to end this on some kind of a good note. I reached out and brushed my hand against hers to gain her attention.

"Go back and explain this to your grandfather." I said looking deeply into her beautiful violet eyes, even if I could not be with her at least I could make sure that she knew how much she meant. Always putting her first. Like she had when she relinquished her own body over to me to try and give me a shot a living. I will forever be grateful for my Yugi, I will forever love her.

"Grandpa" She asked surprised trying to wipe her eyes with the sleeve of her blue school jacket, but they just kept flowing and she eventually gave up.

"Yes, he was worried that I had completely took over your life. Apparently I'm just some selfish asshole, so he attacked me with a rolling pin... Go home. Fix your relationship with him." I said narrowing my eyes at the memory and my head even stung so I reached my hand up to rub the sensation away.

"But what about my relationship with you?" She begged and grabbed my arm desperately, I didn't try to shrug her off, I didn't have it in me to push her away but I had to for her own good. So that she could find someone to make her happy.

"What relationship Yugi?" I said and gently shoved her back so I could step out of her grasp and gave her my best Kaiba impersonation as I glared at her with an impassive face. She frowned at me and closed her eyes as she shook my arm that I couldn't pull from her tight grasp.

"You don't mean that!" She wailed as she threw herself into my arms and I couldn't help but reflexively wrap them around her shaking shoulders as she pondered her fists on my chest in anger and sobbed her heart out.

"Go home." I whispered beginning to loose my resolve completely and I felt the trickle of a lone tear slip down my face. She pushed herself back and glared up at me with her own anger flaring in those beautiful eyes.

"But I thought you loved me!" She screamed and stomped one of her tiny feet. For some reason this made me even more pissed and I began to pace before her shaking me head to myself.

"Well I thought you loved me!" I eventually accused and waved an arm out at her but continuing my pacing. I ran a hand through my hair as I fumed. How dare she act as if I was the one in the wrong, I hadn't done anything wrong.

"I Became a girl for you and you're just going to dump me?" She asked in a shrill voice and I whirled around to face her taking three steps until I was right in her face only inches away and could feel her hot breath across my nose. I glared at her full on and she returned the look just as fiercely.

"Don't you pin that on me damn it I had no control over the situation. If I could go back and stay in the Ra forsaken puzzle for all eternity to give you your old body back I would! I'm fucking sorry that you didn't get what you wanted." I screamed not even caring that my sister was passed out on the couch just feet from where we were standing in front of the staircase.

"I wanted you!" She yelled back balling her fists up as as she closed her eyes tightly and more tears rolled off her cheeks.

"Well it sure didn't look like that this afternoon. Who even was that, do you even know that punk?" I asked my voice softer but still upset. She pouted her lips and looked away unable to face me as she answered.

"I was just trying to feel like somebody actually found me attractive you jerk!" she muttered in a much quieter voice but still angry herself. I watched her closely confused. Did I not show her how much I loved her or tell her how beautiful she was?

"I've always found you attractive. Even before all this but I wasn't good enough for you!" I sighed and lowered my gaze to the floor, she turned her attention back to me and grabbed my hand.

"It wasn't like that." She said as she pulled me closer to her and reached up to touch my face with her small hand. I Stayed still and let her touch me no longer having the will to push her away when all I wanted was to hold her.

"Well that's what it looked like to me." I whispered unable to look away form her eyes as she stared into my own.

"I just didn't think you liked me anymore." She admitted sheepishly with a dejected look in her amethyst eyes. I frowned as I leaned forward and tipped her chin up to face me.

"How the hell could you ever think that." I asked a smile reaching my lips for the first time and all of my anger melting away. I just didn't understand what she was thinking. She is my whole world, the reason I wanted to live this life.

"I though that this woman's body displeased you." She whispered in a meek voice as she gestured to her supple curves before she dropped her hand down to her side in defeat.

"What?" I gaped in utter shock. I curled a strand of her hair around my fingers as I kissed her nose. She scrunched her face up into an adorable confused expression.

"I thought the you were only with me to make me happy but that you didn't actually want me anymore. I thought that I was already loosing you and I just... I just wanted to feel pretty. He was flirting and I don't know... I just wanted to feel good for five minutes! Ever since I became a girl I havent been able get a grip on anything, I'm so emotional all the time and I feel so… ugly. I never cared what I looked like before" She explained and her voice raised at the end ever so slightly as she hid her face in her hands. I just kept forgetting how hard this transition had been on my little light. How could I have let my Yugi think that I didn't want her anymore.

"But Yugi you're beautiful inside and out." I gasped and rushed forward to cup her small face between my hands. She blushed and looked at her feet.

"I sure don't feel beautiful." She whispered. I grabbed her hand and pulled her with me up the stares and to the room we shared at the mansion. She stayed quiet as opened the door and nudged her inside. I was determined to show her how she affected me. Even if it meant stepping outside of my comfort zone, I leaned forward and kissed her soft lips as I ran a hand through her straightened hair.

"Yami, what..." She started it I silenced her with the return of my mouth. I wasn't sure what else to do. Kissing was about as far as I got with her in the almost year we had been together. No wonder Yugi didn't think I wanted her. God how I wanted her, but what was I even suppose to do with this passion inside me? This was the thought that had me pulling her school coat off to expose her shoulders. I trace my fingers over her soft flesh and she sighed against my lips.

"Yugi, sometimes I forget to say the words, and I'm sorry but please let me show you the depths of my love."at me, her large almond shaped violet orbs full of lust and a blush spread across her cheeks.

"Yugi, sometimes I forget to say the words, and I'm sorry but please let me show you the depths of my love." I whispered seductively, her response was to grab my shoulders and pull me down on top of her quickly. I gasped as she thrust her hands up under my shirt my skin began tingling as her delicate fingers caressed my chest.

"You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that." she purred and I was taken aback at just how different she sounded. Somehow the shy timid Yugi was gone and now replaced with this new commanding, sexy version.

I began to kiss the delicate skin under her ear resulting in her first moan of pleasure and I revealed in the sound of her bell like voice. My hands shook as I fumbled to unbutton her white school shirt resulting in her helping me with a giggle. I smiled down at her lovingly, determined for my feelings to translate through my actions as I made sure to touch every inch of her ivory skin.

"Yami." she purred and completely ripped the rest of my shirt off, I smirked down at her before I helped her sit up so she could fumble with her shirt. As soon as she had dropped the garment she reached up to unclasp her bra. Of course I had seen her naked before, when she first got her body. But ever since then I had made sure to respect her privacy, I knew that this made her uncomfortable suddenly being female and I just didn't want to overload her too soon. Perhaps I should have followed my instincts more and ravished her from the beginning, huh ravished? Well there's an interesting word.

I reached a timid hand out to cup one of her breasts and began to gently kneed the soft flesh between my fingers as her nipple grew hard. With haste I leaned down and began to lightly dash my tongue across the little mound. She gasped and fisted handfuls of my hair making me bite down ever so slightly.

I felt her hands begin to fiddle with my many belts as she released my hair from her clutches. I shifted my mouth back to hers and began to explore the cavity of her mouth with my tongue enjoying the exotic taste that reminded me slightly of apples. It took her several moments but she finally got all three of my belts unfastened and I quickly unbuttoned my pants and wiggled them off all without ending our passionate kiss. She pushed me slightly and growled in discontent, she smiled and motioned for me to lay down on the bed. I narrowed my eyes at her suspiciously and she giggled.

"Just do it, I wont bite. Hard that is..." her voice was deeper, and sultry like honey and I followed her command quietly. She is the only person alive who I allow to command me, my beautiful Hikari. I leaned back confused as to what she was planning as she worked my boxers off, even if she had technically seen me before she looked down at my swollen manhood as if it was all new to her.

Slowly she reached out one of her tiny hands and wrapped it around the base of my erect shaft and I moaned and thrust my head back in pleasure. Seeing this she began to pump me at a steady pace. In no time at all she had me reduced to a whimpering mess as I tossed my head from side to side and gripped fistfuls of the blanket beneath me. All while muttering her name incoherently between Egyptian curses as the pleasure waved through my body.

"Please Yugi!" I begged as I looked into her slanted lust filled eyes. She pumped my erection once more, tantalizingly slow before she let go completely and stood up to push her panties down from under her skirt, but keeping the skirt on still and climbed back up and to the mattress on all fours. I watched as she straddled my waist and then ran a finger through my wild hair.

"I love you my little kitten." I whispered and she grinned at the nickname. Her face flushed as she paused to think for a moment and I let her as I waited patiently. Slowly she scooted forward and I felt as I pressed against her warm wetness. I felt my nerves getting the better of me then and tried to pull back a little.

"Yugi if you're not ready we don't have too..." I but before I could finish she had raised herself up and the sheathed my shaft deep within herself. I threw my head back again and bowed my hips forward and she gasped out in pain. When I looked up her eyes were squinted shut and her face scrunched up.

"Yugi are you okay?" I asked worried and she nodded even as one lone tear slipped down her cheek. I reached up and caught the droplet before it fell and she opened her sparkling eyes and locked gazes with me.

"It's suppose to hurt the first time. Just give me a moment." she whispered and her face grew focused. I waited patiently even as I could feel myself aching to thrust deeper into her flesh. After just a few torturing seconds she began to slowly rock her hips and I groaned and threw my hands up to slid under her skirt and cup her bottom. In no time at all she began to get more confidence and her trusts became more rhythmic.

I couldn't take it anymore, and I grasped her and forcefully flipped her over so that I could take control. She gasped and then bit down on my shoulder to stifle her moans. Fine with me, I began to thrust faster and deeper at a wild pace. Never before had I felt so much pleasure in my whole existence. How did anyone ever their his rooms if this was what it was like to love and be loved in return? I quickly disregarded such thoughts, all thoughts as I lost myself to the goddess who held me tightly and screamed my name.

"Oh Atem...Oh god I love you!" she cried out and her whole body convulsed around me causing me to shout out incoherently as I lost control completely and with one more thrust I felt as we each reached a blissful climax together. Yugi sighed happily and wrapped her arms tightly around me as I laid next to her and nuzzled against her soft bare chest. I closed my eyes deciding that sleep was the best thing to do now, all the while with a satisfied grin.

Mokuba's POV

"Ugh talk about awkward" I muttered as I stepped quietly into the living room, Kyrri laid on the couch with her eyes open and a blush on her face only to dart her gaze up at me as I entered the room.

"Oh you saw all that huh?" she asked referring to Yami and Yugi's argument. I smirked as I strolled into the center of the room. She sat up and stretched. I assume that she had been asleep before the screaming had started and just felt too awkward to say anything.

"Well they better be glad my brother wasn't here, he wouldn't stand for that nonsense." I grumbled and threw myself down on the couch next to her. She sighed and made room for me.

"You know he really isn't that bad. I mean I guess he was an ass at first but ever since I fell from the roof of the school Seto has been nothing but considerate." she said and watched me from the corner of her eyes, I knew she wasn't that fond of me and to be honest I wasn't sure what I thought of her. But she was wrong she knew nothing about Seto.

"You don't know what your talking about." I snapped and looked away crossing my arms. I rested my eyes on the Scales that I had carried into the room and sat on the coffee table. Balance, that's what they represented. That much I knew even if I hadn't had time to learn anything or train yet. Balance was something I knew I needed in my life, obviously with all the fucked up decisions I made over the last year. This thought had me lowering my head.

"You know Seto is changing whether you like it or not. No one is at fault for his change. I didn't hold a gun to his head and demand he be a decent human being. He made those choices all on his own, it might do you some good to take his example. Seto is trying because he wants more out of is life then what solitude and arrogance has provided him with. Mokuba I know that you're a very bright and gifted young man and I also know that you feel awful for the things that you have done lately. Perhaps it is time for you to make a change as well." she spoke softly and when she was finished she reached out and garbed the scales off of the table. I saw her bracelet immediately respond to the contact but she stopped channeling her energy quickly so as to not hurt the baby. It surprised me that I could sense what was happening at all so I must not be terrible at this magic thing.

"Here, hold this and close your eyes, feel that pulsating power in your core. This is where your power comes from. Imagine as if you are slowly drawing it up from your stomach into your arms and by extension into the scales." she instructed and I wasted no time doing as I was told, eager to understand this new world that my brother was now a part of. That I myself was now a part of too.

I felt my arms grow warm and then with a clarity that shocked me I felt the item in my hands. Not just felt it but it was as if the scales touched my heart and mind. They tipped back and forth rapidly but found no balance. My eyes widened in the realization that what Kyrri was saying was true, I needed to change. I needed to be better not just for myself but for the people around me, I would never be able to wield this item right if I never gained inner balance.

I looked up at her a little scared and she placed her hand gently over mine and I felt her lower my hand causing the pulsating to stop. I let go of the scaled as if there were on fire and stared at my shaking hands.

"Don't be discouraged, the fact that you can sync with the scales on any level is amazing in itself. You were never trained to be a priest like Seto and I, and while every item picks the owner, you have to have an open mind and heart to let the item inside. A bond with a millennium item is sacred and once forged can not be broken without consequences. What you need to do is figure out how to balance yourself before you can help restore the balance in the world around you." I listened to every word she spoke and somehow I got the feeling that she wasn't just saying this for me just to reassure herself as well and I watched her face intently.

"I'm just scared." I finally admitted and stubbornly looked away, though I could still see her smile from the corner of my eyes. She nodded thoughtfully and touched my shoulder.

"I am also afraid Mokuba, I think that it would be strange for you to not be apprehensive of the future, especially with all these dark forces looming over our heads." she said and her words calmed me slightly but I could still feel an unbearable sadness creeping up my spine. I shook my head to clear these thought, it always led tot he same thing. I didn't have to feel this pain, I didn't have to feel anything at all. The Xanax I had stashed deep under my mattress would make it all disappear. But no, I had to be brave through this. I couldn't let Seto down again.

"I don't think I can face my past and the things that I've done Kyrri. I mean to become balanced surely I have to deal with the things that have happened in my past that are bothering me right? I...Just cant okay." I panicked as I began to freak out. I wish Seto was here, the last couple of weeks had been so hard for me. Every time I got upset the first thing I would think about is how easily I could make this pain stop if I returned to Mitch and Alyssa, but I couldn't do that. I didn't want that life anymore, it hadn't taken me long to realize it was an empty life full f nothing but disappointment.

"I'm sure its not as bad as you think." she tried to comfort and I laughed a hollow chuckle with a sneer on my face causing her to inspect my sudden change in mood apprehensivly.z

"You say that now, but how do you expect me to get over the fact that I killed my own mother!" I yelled and immediately covered my mouth. I had never uttered those words before not even to Seto. This was a pain I had kept tucked away my whole life. I was a murderer, I had robbed her of her life all so I could live. I was a monster.

Kyrri's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to say something several times before she lowered her gaze and looked at her clasped hands on her lap. I noticed her swollen abdomen and wondered just how pregnant she was, surely she shouldn't be so big right?

"Can I tell you a secret Mokuba?" she whispered sadly and I shrugged. She wrung her hands together and collected her thoughts before she spoke but she dared not look up at me.

"Before I was born, when my mother was fifteen she went to a party she wasn't suppose to go to. She was raped and nine months later she had me at just fifteen. Her parents didn't believe her story, and several of her relatives urged her to have an abortion but she refused. That was why she married my 'dad' so that she could support me. But it was all too much for her, she hated me. I'm not making it up she told me ever day what a mistake I was, how I was the daughter of an evil man and I would bring nothing but sorrow to the world. Then on my sixth birthday she committed suicide. My dad found her in her room with the door locked… I don't know details really about what she did but she left a note… it said: _'Forgive me Lord for raising a monster. I could not live one more second, I could not take one more breath knowing I spawned the child of the devil.'"_ by the time she finished she was sobbing and hid her face in her hands. Shocked at how a mother could do something like that and compelled to make her feel better I threw my short arms around her in a tight hug. Maybe she could understand, just a little bit and I felt like I should tell her my secret. Since she had told me hers, and I took a big breath to calm myself.

"My mom died giving birth to me. Seto says that something went wrong and she was losing too much blood. The doctors told her that they could only save one, me or her and she demanded that hey save me. She took her last breath as I took my first. I robbed her of life, just so I could what… become a teenage druggie high school drop out… I'm a failure, and I let her and Seto down." I whispered as the real root of my depression came bubbling up to the surface. It was just months before my birthday. Seto always made sure that I celebrated it and I always made sure that he was never the wiser that I hated the day. The anniversary of my mothers death.

Kyrri pulled me close as she continued to cry and I found myself unable to hold back my childish tears either. Together we sat for at least thirty minutes sobbing our hearts out, slowly though we began to regain some composure and I pulled back with a smirk as I wiped my face to dry my eyes. She followed my lead and smiled herself.

"A good cry will do you loads of good." she said kindly and then reached out to ruffle my hair. I glared at her but this time it was only playful and swatted her hair away. She chuckled and leaned back again as she placed her hands over her stomach once more.

"How did the appointment go?" I asked casually trying to keep the conversation alive and her face paled. Worried I watched her more closely to decipher what was wrong.

"Um… well…you see, what had happened was..." she trailed off and I waited in anticipation for whatever she was going to say. I heard the sound of deep laughter from behind me and turned to see Seto standing in the door taking is coat off. His hair was tousled and his face was slightly red, he must have decided to walk home today.

"Don't be shy honey, tell uncle Moki how hes going to have his hands full with not just one but three new Kaiba's." he said and I literally fell out of my chair as I tried to stand I was so shocked. It didn't take long for the shock to ebb and make way for the hysteria to kick in and I began laughing uncontrollable, clutching my sides tightly as they burned with my laughter.

"What?" I asked when I was able to regain my composure and Seto merely flashed me a 100 watt smile, something I was seeing more and more of lately as he walked around the couch to pull Kyrri to her feet so he could place a light kiss against her lips.

"Yea, lucky me..." She grumbled but still placed a hand lovingly against her overly swollen bump. Well at least that explains why she looked so pregnant so suddenly. Still it was crazy to imagine Seto being the father of triplets and I could help but smile as I leaned forward and bent down so that I was at level with My brother's girlfriends stomach.

"Don't you fret little dragons, Uncle Moki will teach you everything you need to know about being a little trouble maker." I whispered to Kyrri stomach mischievously. She laughed and Seto narrowed his eyes in mock disapproval but I could tell he was happy that we were getting along better.

"Seto… I'm kind of hungry." Kyrri whined suddenly as she tugged on the corner of his shirt. He smiled lovingly at her and placed a hand at the small of her back to guide her into the kitchen.

"Mokuba why don't you go fetch the others and we can all have dinner together." Seto asked and I raised a brow at him before I shook my head.

"Snowballs chance in hell that I'm going up there." I said while waving my arms in front of me, Kyrri also took a step back before he asked her as well and he looked between us and raised a brow. Seeing that I wasn't going to budge he rolled his eyes.

"Okay fine I'll go get them. Kyrri go and tell the cook what you want for dinner. No fish, No undercooked red meat." He said nodding his head at her before he ascended up the stairs. I chuckled and followed her to the kitchen where Gustav, out foreign cook who had moved from France at Seto's request.

"Young Kaiba, good evening. Is this the lovely Miss Kyrri that I have heard so much about?" he asked and gave Kyrri a once over after he nodded his greeting to me. She blushed and extended her arm to shake his hand. He was having none of that and leaned down to kiss her hand causing her to turn an even darker shade in her embarrassment,

"I have heard many things about you. Master Kaiba has told me so much about you." he said before he turned towards his stove and stretched his arms out in a gesture of greeting. I cracked a grin, he was the weirdest cook we had ever had but he was also the best.

"What can I create for you today little lady?" he asked and she bowed her head in thought. After a moment she walked to the fridge and opened it causing Gustav to raise a brow and step behind her. She inspected everything in the fridge before she turned to him with a smile.

"Seto says no fish and no undercooked red meat, but I saw all the ingredients spaghetti." she said and he made a face at her obviously unhappy she choose such a plain dish. He bowed his head towards her though and smiled.

"I will make you the best Spaghetti you have ever tasted little lady." he said and began digging ingredients out of the fridge and cabinets. I chuckled and lead her into the large dinning room and took a seat at the table. Within only a few minutes a maid came and asked us what we wanted to drink and I asked for a mountain dew. Kyrri eyed me longingly and then asked for a doctor pepper. She better be lucky that I had begged Seto to buy one of those soda stream machines a while back. When we were brought our drinks she immediately downed the whole glass and I laughed not seeing the big deal.

Just then the door busted open and Yami ran in wearing only his leather pants and his shirt held in one hand with a crazy look in his eyes. Seto ran behind him with his eyes narrowed and the rod pointed at the former pharaoh.

"Shit Kaiba I'm fucking sorry!" He ducked as Seto threw an article of clothing at him. Yami caught it and me and Kyrri sat with wide eyes and watched as my brother chased Seto around the table.

"In my house Yami? Really?" Seto yelled and finally managed to catch up to the former spirit as his legs were much longer and put Yami in a loose choke hold.

"Say uncle!" Seto demanded and I laughed, this was something we used to do when I was younger. I could see that Seto wasn't actually angry and this surprised me. Maybe Kyrri was right.

"I never assaulted you for screwing my sister!" Yami growled indignantly as he waved his arms around in a futile attempt to escape. Seto refused to let go though and I knew he wouldn't until Yami surrendered.

"Say it." he taunted. Just then Yugi came sneaking in and sat down next to Kyrri. She was completely red and kept her mouth shut. I smiled, at first I had been really apprehensive about all of this craziness but right now it was nice to see my brother acting like a normal 24 year old. It was nice for the house to not be so quiet and empty.

"I WILL NEVER SURRENDER!" Yami screamed and we all laughed. Yea, I think I was defiantly going to enjoy having everyone here. It was nice to have friends surrounding me like this. No friends was too weak a word. Family sounded better and it was true. If Seto and Kyrri were having kids that made Yami and Yugi aunt and uncle too. Though I was determined to be the cooler uncle.

Kry: so there you go my lovelies. Chapter mother loving twenty dawg. Lol sorry. Please review if you liked it and shoot me a follow and a favorite.


	20. Chapter 20

Kry: I KNOW OKAY I KNOW! I let you all down when I stopped writing this for so long. I'm sorry I was loosing the ability to carry on with this story as I entered into one of my worst writers blocks of all time. I had to write side stories just to pull myself out of that funk.

I own nothing and no one except Kyrri and two other new characters.

Please enjoy, and I promise I will work harder on finishing this story for my wonderful readers. Though I am starting to worry that people are loosing interest in the story just like I was. Please review if you want me to keep going… I have other projects that are getting feedback I could work on but I don't want to put this story on hiatus if people still want more

Catalyst

Chapter Twenty One

Seto's POV

Two months had passed since the ultrasound and Kyrri was so huge that I started to worry about her going up and down the many flights of stairs in the mansion, though I knew from experience not to ever utter such a terrible thing out loud. I rubbed my head where the ghost of an ache tingled where she had hit me with my briefcase one morning as she saw me off to work for mentioning how big she was getting.

Thinking of my bride to be put a smile on my face as I shuffled through the last of the days contracts. We had decided to get married at the beginning of the new year in late February. That would be right after sh turned eighteen but before the due date since Kyrri was very adamant that she wanted to have the same name as her children when they were born. Something I could understand why she wanted for it to be that way.

Still at a little over six months pregnant she was already a miserable mess and I wondered idly if we wouldn't end up having to postpone the wedding in favor of her health. Every time I brought the subject up though she had screamed at me followed by a hormone induced crying fit about how I didn't really love her. Every time I would ease her worries and drop the subject but I knew it was coming to decision time on the matter.

Yami and Yugi had officially moved in to the mansion not long after the ultrasound. Yugi had returned to the game shop with the Pharaoh in tow to try and explain to her Grandfather exactly what happened while he was away. I never got the full details about what really happened from them but they had returned in the middle of the night with not so much as a phone call to warn us, Yugi was hysterical while Yami just held her hand with a depressed look and shook his head when I asked what was wrong.

The next morning Yami told me that Yugi had been disowned but he wouldn't tell me why or what happened between the girl and her Grandpa and I was warned not to mention it around her. So they had been living in one of many spare rooms since, which made Kyrri happy since I was gone throughout the day and Mokuba had returned to school when summer vacation was over. Him and Yugi left every morning at the same time as me while Yami stayed behind to be with his sister since he dropped out of school. Even Bakura and his Ryou came to visit her in t he afternoons.

Things had been pretty tense around the world lately. There were _terrorist_ attacks around the globe daily and some country's had even closed their borders making life as an international businessman hard. While here in Japan murder was on its highest incline in history that didn't involved actual war. No one really had any answers as to what was happening but we worried that Zork had his hands in every bit of evil in the world. Sure it was paranoid but you can never be too careful knowing he had an interest in the lives of our children because of some stupid prophecy.

Just then my phone vibrated causing me to loose my train of thought.

"Hello?" I asked as I answered without looking at the number. I already knew that this late it had to be a personal call.

"Kaiba?" A voice I didn't recognize asked as I slowly stood up calling it quits for the day and began to pack up my lap top. I checked the caller ID but it was a private number. Pulling the speaker back to my ear I narrowed my eyes slightly.

"Who is this?" I asked in a colder voice since I didn't know who I was dealing with and I had reason to be suspicious of anyone who could get their hands on my private number. I heard a soft sigh or perhaps a gasp for breath before the girl began to speak. It sounded like her Japanese was terrible but maybe it was the fact that her voice was shaking.

"Your fathers name was Korbin Hiroshi right?" She asked and I nearly dropped the phone as I sucked in a deep shocked breath. I hadn't heard that name in more years than I would like to admit. I barely even remembered the name to my disappointment. Yes Korbin Hiroshi had been my father, before he had died leaving me and Mokuba as orphans.

"How did you know that name? Who the hell do you think you are?" I shouted into the small iphone as I threw my lap top bag down on my desk forgotten and stormed out of the room in a rush to be in fresh air. The stranger was silent for a long moment before she began to speak again stopping my in my tracks half way through my secretary's office. I was glad that I was the only one still in the building.

"My name is Kisame Hiroshi… I am… well Korbin was my father but Mom didn't want me around him. I didn't even know he had died until my Mother got sick last year and it took me this long to track you down… Seto I'm your sister and I would very much like to meet you someday." I Paced across the office as she rushed out her explanation in one breath. Once she had started it seemed she couldn't stop. My eyes were wide and my hand gripped the phone too tight. _'Sister?'_

My father had other children besides me and Mokuba? Had he cheated on our mother? At first I was angry, so angry I wanted to hang up the phone and block the number but I was more of an adult than that. I frowned as I thought about what to do. Meanwhile during my long silence she had begun rambling her voice sounding nervous and a little afraid.

"I'm twenty and I live in Tokyo. I play the violin and my favorite color is green..." She kept on talking and I snorted causing her to pause. I didn't have time for some girl to lie to me about my past. Probably just after a cut of my money and willing to go as far as to taint the image of my parents to get it.

"You think I care if Hiroshi decided to sleep with some tramp? Do you think I care that you play the violin? I'm Seto fucking Kaiba and I don't have time for some little girl to intrude upon my life claiming to be some long lost sister. I have all the family I need so if its money you're after then you are shit out of luck kid cause I am not a charity." Even as the words left my lips I regretted them, I didn't even know this person and whether we were related or not didn't matter. I was trying to move past my physiological disposition to being an asshole. I was going to be a father soon I had to set some kind of a better example than this.

"I… I am so sorry to have wasted your time...I just thought that… I just thought you would want to say goodbye before..." She muttered and I heard her half hidden sob through the speaker clearly followed by the line going dead. I ran a hand through my hair and closed my eyes as I slid the phone back into my pocket Not knowing how to take such information.

I stormed back into my office to retrieve my computer bag before leaving for the night glad that I was the last one in the building that way nobody had to see my freak out. I pushed all thoughts of this girl to the back of my head to deal with later. I was too tired to figure out how I felt about the possibility of having a sister and what that meant.

Before I knew it I was home and I found myself trying to figure out when I had even left Kaiba Corp since the ride home was such a blur to me. I shook me head to clear it before I jumped out of the sleek black Ferrari quickly and strode up to the mansion.

Kyrri was waiting for me just inside the door as she always was and I smiled as I ducked my head down to place a chaste kiss on her soft rosy lips. She smiled up at me happily for a moment before her smile melted into a tight line of a frown as she inspected my face.

I put my coat on the rack just to have somewhere else to look besides her ruby eyes and then handed my computer bag to my butler as I walked into he living room slowly. Yami was sitting on the love seat reading a book while Yugi was gone, probably out with Ryou and Bakura. She had been spending a lot of time with Ryou since he had started to leave the safety of his apartment. It had taken him a month to gain the strength to leave, but he was slowly coming back out of his shell and since Yugi had always been his closest friend he had leaned on her for moral support.

Personally I thought that something was off about Ryou, I mean he was polite as anyone can be but there was just something I couldn't quite place my finger on about him that gave me an uneasy feeling. Kyrri apparently felt the same way, though she was too kind to admit it to anyone but me. I had first noticed her reservations around him a few weeks ago but her excuse was that she didn't want Bakura to get hurt and I left it at that.

The Thief had spent all of his time since he got the Ring back trying to show Ryou that there was still good in the world. A funny notion seeing as how he was suppose to be the darker half of the duo. It was almost like their roles had switched completely, I would even go as far as to say that Bakura was the _hikari_ in the situation now.

Mokuba was sitting at the end of the long couch doing his homework quietly. The scales were placed by his side and I could see the faint glow as the item perched happily with its owner. It was like the items had mind's of their own, almost like they were pet cats. That sounded crazy but the Rod had moments where I was sure that it had a soul and a mind.

For instance the Millennium Rod absolutely hated Ryou. Another reason I was cautious around him. Without warning or me being able to control the Rod would go crazy around the white haired teen like it was on red alert, so I made a point not to stay in the same room as him for too long lest my item lash out on the poor boy, and yes the Millennium Items could send people to the shadow realm on their own accord.

I had come a long way from thinking this was all nonsense to being a true believer. It was funny when I thought about how things would have gone if Kyrri had showed up any sooner in my life. Before Battle City and she would probably hate my guts. Yet she had showed up just in time to save me from myself, just when my heart was willing to listen.

"Seto are you listening to me?" Kyrri asked as she looked up into my eyes with a worried expression. I blinked before I tried to smile at her but she wasn't buying it. She touched my shoulder softly and I sighed, time to fess up.

"I got a strange phone call today… Mokuba." I explained as I called my brothers name to get his attention. He looked up from his algebra textbook and arched a brow at me. I explained everything that happened even the part where I cussed out a stranger just because she called herself my sister. Kyrri gasped and Yami dropped his book with a look of disappointment but Mokuba stayed silent as his face contorted into a thoughtful look.

"I can't believe you would say that to your own sister you jerk!" Kyrri yelled as she whacked me in the arm again. I glared halfheartedly at her but she continued to rant at me about the importance of family and how much I must have hurt this girls feelings. I however chose to ignore the mother of my children to watch Mokuba who had knit his brows together and was beginning to look almost angry.

"You said she was twenty? That me and that our dad slept with her mom either while you were a newborn or before you were born?" Mokuba asked as he touched the handle of his Item softly. I nodded as I realized he was probably right. Our father had been a scoundrel if he had hurt our mother. I looked down at my phone as I opened the call screen and stared at the private caller. There was no number so it wasn't like I could call her back. But on the other hand I am Seto Kaiba, if I wanted to find somebody I'll be damned if I don't track them down.

"Whatever." Mokuba snapped in a cold voice as he threw his book down and stood up with a livid look in his stormy eyes. I looked at him and tried to imagine what this mystery girl must look like? Would she look like me or Mokuba or would she look like her mother. Since I had no idea what the woman looked like I really wasn't able to come up with a comparison.

"You Kaiba boys are all the same!" Kyrri yelled as she threw her hands up in the air dramatically. I gave her a look that she promptly ignored as she turned and reached a hand out to straighten Mokuba's collar. It was a motherly tendency she had picked up lately, trying to make sure everything was in order. Nesting I think it was called, but Mokuba hated it.

"Mokie, This is your sister. You've never even met and you're already angry at her. Its not her fault that she was born, she never asked to be brought into this world. All she has control over is her own actions same as you, and what did she choose to do? Find her lost brothers and reunite with them. I can sympathize with wanting to meet her family, I mean I didn't even remember my past life or that I had a brother but I wouldn't trade him for the world." She scolded while Mokuba watched her with so many emotions swirling behind his calm eyes. I could see he had many arguments to her speech but as she shot a tender smile to Yami who raised his thumb up to her and grinned Mokuba was left silent. I thought about what she was saying, I didn't know this girl but it wasn't her fault that my father had been a looser.

"Besides Seto don't you think she would at least want to know she is going to be an auntie?" She asked as she cast her ruby eyes on me. I smiled down at her momentarily pushing all other thoughts to the side as I brushed a lock of her black silken hair from her face. She wove her hands into the fabric of my designer suit and leaned against me as best she could with her protruding belly.

I placed one hand softly against her swollen stomach. Underneath I could feel the subtle movements of the babies inside and I smiled even brighter. I had never felt live like this, it was so strange. Sure I loved my baby brother, I mean I practically raised him and I loved Kyrri. I had loved her for over five thousand years even if I didn't know it for a period of time. But never before had I loved someone so much that I had never even laid eyes on.

"You're right." I sighed as I looked back into her eyes. Mokuba grunted as he left the room probably to go sulk somewhere. I was trying to ignore his mood since he was probably just like any other angsty teenager even if his problems were a bit different than most. Kyrri chuckled as she poked me in the chest with a dignified look.

"Of course I am." She said as she turned and wandered her way into the kitchen following my brother. It seemed these days she found herself to be hungry almost all the time. But it was normal for someone as pregnant as she was.

I sat down on the couch next to Yami with a thud and picked up my computer bag. He eyed me from over the top of his book as I pulled out my lap top and opened up my internet browser. I quickly typed in the address of one my my favorite background check websites, since I was always having to run back ground checks on prospective employees before I hired them the site already had the information to my Kaiba corp bank account.

I typed in the name that she had given me _Kisame Hiroshi _and then hit enter. It took a few moments for the web site to pull the files up for me. I began to skim through all of the information finding little that I was interested in at first. This site would bring me all kinds of information ranging from newspaper articles and local mentioning to medical records and work history and of course criminal record.

Kisame seemed to be your average Young woman from what I could account, with a clean record and a prominent role in her community. She volunteered a lot and she was mentioned in three local newspaper articles in Tokyo one for a benefit concert she had preformed at for kid's right to the arts in school. I stared at the color printed front page photo of her holding a blue violin and dressed in a matching navy floor length ball gown. She had deep chestnut hair much like my own that flowed down the center of her shoulders and cerulean eyes that reminded me of my own.

She stood next to a tall woman with long black hair and Grey eyes who wore a proud smile on her aging face. I looked at the picture for five whole minutes before I reached a hand up to touch the screen of the lap top. The article mentioned how Kisame's mother was currently in the hospital in Tokyo for an unknown illness.

"Seto?" Yami asked from beside me as he dog tagged his book and sat it down. My face must have held some semblance of the shock I couldn't even comprehend. I looked up at my friend and opened my mouth before I snapped it shut and returned my bewildered gaze back to the two women on the screen.

I quickly scrolled down through the information until I found the medical records. I shifted through reports of vaccinations and having her tonsils removed until I reached the very bottom. Kisame's birth certificate. I had to be sure...

Date of birth: 4:02 PM October 25th 1990 (I don't even know what year this is an estimate)

Mothers maiden name: Ayame Misano.

_Ayame Misano_

I pushed the lap top violently off of my lap as I jumped to a standing position and watched as the screen went black probably as I fried the hard drive. Yami jumped up with me as he tried to decipher my sudden anger. I was glad that Kyrri and Mokuba were in the kitchen as I kicked the broken device clear across the room.

"Kaiba!" Yami shouted as he dodged the flying computer and cast me a shocked look. He took a breath as he walked towards the fire place and picked up the shattered lap top and placed it on the table softly before he turned around and faced me again.

"What's the matter Seto? Why are you so angry all the sudden?" He asked looking up at me with his eyes that matched his sisters so much that sometimes I hated it. It made it easier for him to get under my skin, or maybe that was something that he learned a lifetime ago.

"I have to go." Was all I said as I grabbed my coat again and prepared to venture out into the frigged winter air. He followed suit even as I shot him a Kaiba signature death glare as I stormed outside and around to the garage where I picked the same sleek black car as before and hopped in the drivers side quickly. The Ferrari was the fastest car I owned and I wanted to get there as quickly as possible.

"So where are we going?" Yami asked as he buckled his seat belt in the passenger side seat. I narrowed my eyes at him and tightened my grip on the wheel as I peeled out of the drive way and off of the mansions grounds. He ignored my mood as he hummed to himself happily as if we were on some kind of field trip.

"I don't remember inviting you." I snarled through gritted teeth as he turned the heater on and began trying to warm his hands. I rolled my eyes at him and focused on the rode.

"And I don't remember you kicking me out of your car either." He laughed as he leaned back and finally stopped fidgeting. I watched him through my peripherals as he leaned into the massive black coat that swallowed him. There was fur around the hood that stuck into his crazy hair. Secretly I was glad that he was here and that he knew when my icy remarks were serious or just a defense mechanism. I wouldn't really want to be alone where I was going.

It would take an hour to get to Tokyo, then another forty five minutes to get to the hospital that was clear on the other side of town. I had noticed that her mother was in the hospital in one of the earlier articles but I hadn't paid much mind to it at first. But now….

"My mother." I managed to choke out as the reality of what I might be walking into hit me full force. I almost swerved off the rode causing Yami to grip the seat tightly as I straightened the car. He looked at me all traces of his previous playfulness gone and replaced by worry.

"I thought that you said your parents were dead." He said softly and I felt my face squint up. I shook my head and began to pull over on the side of the road. I couldn't do this, I wasn't even sure it was her I mean it couldn't be right? She had died I remembered it even if the memories were so jumbled and hazy it was hard to pick through them.

"That's what I always thought. I don't know, that was her in the picture Yami. My father told me she was dead, but I never saw it. She was pregnant with Mokuba and then one day he came home with my brother and she didn't make it. I don't know. I don't know what to think." I groaned as I leaned my head on the wheel and closed my eyes. Maybe I shouldn't have rushed out to storm into the hospital without solid proof.

"You know what I think?" he asked as he leaned towards me to gain my attention.

"I think that you need to go to that hospital and see for yourself, and if it is her then you need to find out why you grew up without her. Otherwise it will eat you away on the inside." He said as I leaned up and looked at him thoughtfully.

He was right I needed to know. If she had abandoned us then I deserved and explanation as to why I was raised by a drunk until he drove off a cliff. I deserved an explanations as to why me and Mokuba became orphans if we had a mother all along, I deserved and explanation as to why I was forced to conform to Gozoboroh's idea of how a boy should act. I hated my life up until the last year of it and it could all have been avoided if only she had been there…

I stared at my best friend happy that he was with me because I probably would have chickened out and returned home pretending that this had never even happened. I smiled at Yami even if it was laced with anger and he smiled back as we pulled back out onto the road and we left.

The trip passed quickly after that even as my adrenaline wore off and an uncomfortable nervousness crept over me. By the time we sat in the hospital parking lot both Kyrri and Yugi had both respectively called us to which Yami had answered both phones when the calls came and told the girls what we were doing. I hadn't been able to answer the phone myself not because I was driving but because anxiety was thrashing through me.

"Are we going to sit here all night and see who can turn into an icicle faster or are we going to go inside?" Yami asked sounding annoyed from beside me as we stood outside of the automatic doors for probably twenty minutes. He was shaking from the cold as the giant coat hung around his small frame. I ignored his attitude, he really didn't like the cold that much since he never really had time to adapt to it.

I nodded as I strode into the hospital and right up to the secretary sitting behind a lightly colored desk talking on the phone. Yami followed me as he blew into his cupped hands to warm himself up. The woman who had dark hair and blue eyes looked up at me before she spoke.

"Hello, how may I help you today sir?" She asked politely staring up at me. I frowned and glanced back at my companion only for him to give me an encouraging look and nudge me in the ribs. I glanced back at the woman with ice in my eyes as I placed my hands on the desk in a manor meant to be intimidating. She gulped as she sat straighter and cleared her throat lightly.

"I am looking for Ayame Misano's room number." I said through gritted teeth making the girl jerk away from me slightly. A part of me felt bad for scaring her, but only because being around Kyrri and the geek squad for so long was making me go soft. She typed on her computer before she gulped and answered me.

"Room 503 on the third floor." She squeaked out and I turned without so much as casting the girl a second glance. I heard Yami thank her before he rushed after me quietly. I reached the door to her room and stared at it frozen with my hand reached towards the handle. Yami cleared his throat.

"Stay out here." I barked and he rolled his eyes but leaned against the wall without saying anything. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the worst case scenario. Though I wasn't sure what that was, her being here and alive proving she had abandoned me or it being a stranger and me realizing it was foolish of me to waste the gas to drive up here.

I opened the door as I exhaled and slowly walked in turning to close the door quietly before I even chanced a look into the room. As my eyes reached the woman laying on the hospital bed hooked up to all kinds of equipment and IV tubes I gasped audibly. There she was staring at me with those large Grey eyes, sunken in to her skull with age and sickness and widened as she took in the sight of me. She said nothing, and neither did I as I stared at her staring at me.

"Seto"" She finally whispered in a voice that was raspy and half gone but clearly shocked. Anger welled inside me as I clenched my fist and began grinding my teeth. My face contorted to reflect the anger I was feeling as I took a couple of steps to towards over her form on the bed.

"So its true then? You abandoned me and Mokuba..." I asked in a shaking and barley controlled hiss. She sighed as she looked away from me. I couldn't believe this, all this time she was alive. Through the terrible life I had lived and she was alive. _'Was I inferior in some way? Did I do something wrong?'_

"You don't understand Seto." She closed her eyes and raised a boney hand to run through her hair. I began pacing back and forth in the tiny space that wasn't taken up by all the machinery she was hooked up to or the bulky bed. No I didn't understand, I had stood by Mokuba through everything. Because that's what family did, so why had she abandoned us.

"No I wouldn't because I was just a little boy when you ran away!" I yelled turning a sharp eye at her. I watched as guilt washed over her before her eyes hardened a fraction and she leaned forward shaking a little as she did.

"When your sister got sick she needed medical attention that our home couldn't offer but your father refused to pay for us to move to Tokyo for her sake. I made a choice to bring her here, she was going to die if I didn't.

Your father punished me for my betrayal by taking you boys half way across Japan with him. I searched for you Seto, I called all of his relatives and by the time I knew he had died you had been adopted by the Kaiba family…

You had more than I could have ever given you as a single mother. I contacted Mr Kaiba once, I wanted to see you boys but he threatened me within an inch of my life if I ever made your parentage public." I listened to her speech and watched at her fidgeted her hands together and the faces she made as she spoke. It was a lot of information to take in and it contradicted everything I had ever been told about my parents. She mentioned Kisame as if she was a figure that was active in my life but I had no recollection of her whatsoever.

"I don't remember having a sister." I decided to start with that because it was a much easier topic to deal with. She frowned as she reached to the little bed side table and plucked a picture up from the surface. It was old and worn around the corners as she passed it over to me. The back had elegant cursive writing that read: _Seto and Kisame age 4._

I flipped it over and saw two children sitting side by side looking right at each other. One was obviously me and the girl next to me was obviously related to me, we looked almost identical. Something I had not noticed in the newspaper article. The younger versions of myself and apparent sister were eating ice cream together from a way oversized bowl with chocolate covering our faces. Behind us stood our mother smiling with a bulging stomach.

"Wait...Are you telling me that I am a twin?" I asked flabbergasted as I looked at the woman with wide eyes. Maybe that explained mine and Kyrri's current predicament. If we were both twins then that only shot the chances of a multiple pregnancy up even more. She merely nodded as she watched me softly and I let my eyes return to the picture for a second before I handed it back to her. Okay time for the next question.

"Father told me that you died giving birth to Mokuba, I remember the day he came home with him as a baby without you. But I don't remember anything before that. I don't remember having a twin sister and I most certainly don't remember her getting sick before Mokuba was born." I said as I ran a hand through my hair in an act meant to calm my nerves. I didn't like putting myself in situations where I wasn't in complete control. It made me uncomfortable.

"I'm sure he fed you some kind of lie. We weren't exactly on good terms when Mokuba was born." She explained as I watched her bite her lip and her eyes glazed over as if she was remembering things that were painful.

"Why not?" I found myself asking in a small voice as I took another step closer to the bed. I needed to understand what had happened to lead me to this moment. My past in this life was just as important to me as the life I had lived before. Maybe even more so because it was the path that was leading me to become a father and I had to set some kind of an example to my future children that was better than the one I got.

"I was planning to leave with all of you before Kisa got sick. We were not happy with each other anymore and when I got pregnant with Mokuba things only got worse. When Mokuba was born we had a fight because I refused to give him your fathers last name since we were already in the process of separating.

He accused me of cheating on him and kicked me out. I took Kisa to Tokyo then, because she was fading so fast. I planned to come back for you and Mokuba when she was in the hospital and safe but like I said when I returned two weeks later you were gone. Mokuba was just a baby when I left and Kisa had already been sick for months by the time he was born. I didn't want to leave you boys but it was her only hope at the time and she made it. After spending another year in the hospital she was in remission." She finished this explanation with tears swimming at the rims of her eyes, this was obviously hard to think about.

"Cancer?" I found myself asking as my thoughts got distracted from the point I was trying to understand. She frowned as she looked down at her clasped hands and I wondered for the first time what was wrong with her since she was the one currently in the hospital.

"Yes, she was diagnosed with Leukemia when the two of you were four. She spent a lot of her time in the hospital after that. Her illness put strain on mine and your fathers relationship and when I found out I was pregnant with Mokuba it only made things worse. I don't know what he was so afraid of, but it was like when he found out Kisa was sick she was already dead to him and he refused to put himself in debt to pay for her medical bills. He saw Mokuba as a replacement for Kisa… We fought a lot. More often than you should have had to see but you saw it anyways… It changed you Seto. It changed everyone..." She ended her sentence as a few of the tears slipped down her pale face. I realized I was so close to her bed that my knee's were touching the edge. I grabbed the chair that was pushed into a corner and sat down at her bedside.

"I don't understand why I can't remember any of this..." I admitted as I raised my eyes to stare into hers that were so much like Mokuba's that it floored me. Large and Grey like storm clouds rolling across the sky. Almost like the tears were rain slipping down to the earth.

I remembered how Mokuba complained that it always rained on his birthday and how I told him it was mom crying from heaven because she was so proud of him. Anger welled in my chest stronger than before, My father had lied to me. But that wasn't even what made me angry, he convinced Mokuba from the moment he could remember anything at all that he killed our mother while she was giving birth to him…

"Like I said Kisa's sickness changed you. You two were inseparable but when she got sick and had to stay in the hospital something changed. At first you were inconsolable, you asked for her everyday but one morning you woke up and it was like you were a whole different little boy. I had been at the hospital that night and when I came home you didn't ask about Kisa, you didn't even seem sad. When I asked your father he told me to leave it alone. That maybe it was best to let you deal with her death in your own way. Even though she was still alive, it didn't look good and you weren't allowed to see her because her immune system was so weak. I didn't know what was the right thing to do Seto. It seems that I made all the wrong choices… I'm sorry son." She gripped her sheets as she began coughing violently. I reached out to try and help but thought better of it and jerked my hand back.

"I remember dad in my room one night. He told me I was going to have a brother and that he was going to be my only brother. He told me I had to take care of him no matter what, he told me I couldn't fail him. He told me that one day I would forget that pain and I would be strong… I took those words to heart. I don't understand how I could forget something so important!" I narrowed my eyes as I looked at my clenched fists.

How could I forget I had a sister. A twin sister who was sick. Who could have died. Who, for all I would have known had died… as I tried to recall my early childhood I found that the farthest back I could reach was the day Mokuba was born… The day my father came home and told me I had a bay brother but I had no mother. I could remember the anger in his eyes that I had mistaken for sorrow.

I could remember how he had handed Mokuba to me and retreated to his room leaving me alone with the screaming baby. I remember that as I looked down at his little Grey eyes and mane of messy black hair that nothing was ever going to be the same again. I had to protect him, and I could not fail. How was it that I could remember my whole past life but I couldn't remember the early details of my current life.

"I would imagine that everything you went through was too much for a boy so little to handle. Stress can do terrible things to one's heart and mind." She excused as she watched me. I could tell she was inspecting me now. Looking at my hair and my eyes, my angular face that looked so much like my fathers.

"What is he like?" She asked and I looked up confused until I realized who she must be talking about. I smiled for the first time since I entered the room as I pulled my wallet out. Inside were several pictures of the people I cared about. Most were of Mokuba. I leaned forward to show her the pictures. The first being a copy of the photo I kept in my duel monsters locket when he was maybe five. The second was when he was about eleven and I had made him the officially commissioner of Battle City. The third was of me Mokuba and Kyrri. This was a much newer picture. I had taken it maybe a week or two ago and when I saw our happy faces all smiling at each other I fell in love with the picture.

"He is amazing Mom. He is brilliant, He actually started high school early because he passed the exams. Though he has been though a lot in the last year. He made a lot of bad choices, but he is back on the right path. Mokuba is the light that brought me though the dark pasts of life." I spoke as she stared at the little Mokuba the longest as she touched the glossy cover with a strange smile on her face. She looked so damn sad, and I knew in that moment whatever anger I had before this moment was completely washed away. I wasn't sure if I was ready to deal with all of this but I believed the truth shinning in this woman's eyes. My mother was alive.

She flipped through then pictures until she came to the last one. I watched her eyes widen a little as she glanced from Mokuba with his short hair to me with one arm slung around his small frame and the other slung around my very pregnant fiancees stomach. She looked up suddenly with her wide eyes as she handed me the pictures back.

"That's Kyrri, we are engaged and yes she is pregnant. I'm not sure how we are going to handle it but we're having triplets." I whispered as I put my wallet away feeling a little sheepish. I didn't think I was going to have to deal with the response of a parent. Kyrri's father was a worthless piece of shit who wasn't even in the picture anymore and I didn't even realize I had a parent left. I was worried suddenly of her response. Kyrri and I were very young even if I was of legal age, that was why we were keeping out relationship as quiet as possible.

"I'm going to be a grandmother of triplets?" She asked in a high pitched voice as a smile made its way across her face. As she gave me this look of pure happiness I was caught in the memory of what her smile had looked like when I was a boy. Something I had agonized over making sure I remembered and to my delight it was exactly the same as I remembered. I nodded as my cheeks heated up a little.

"Congratulations!" She said and I muttered a thank you. I was unsure of what to say next, I didn't want to bother her with more questions of the past. I could always do that later when she wasn't stuck in a hospital bed.

"What's wrong with you? I mean why are you here?" I asked as I swept my hand across the room in a small motion. She sighed followed by a cough before she had to lean back against her pillows. I found myself standing to help her rearrange them without even willing my body to react. She shot me a small thankful smile.

"I contracted Human Immunodeficiency virus ten years ago when donating blood. A nurse used a dirty needle without realizing it. Last year I got too sick and when I came to the hospital they told me it had developed into the last stage and now with my immune system failing even a common cold can put me down for months at a time. It could even kill me." She said and I had to choke back a gasp, AIDS? Does that even happen to normal people who don't use drugs? How could something like this happen? How could the world be so cruel as to take her away when I only just got her back…

"But how?" I asked flabbergasted She frowned and slowly reached out to place her tiny frail hand over my own before she spoke in a soft voice.

"Sometimes these things just happen Seto." She said in a resigned voice. I pulled my hand away as panic clenched my throat shut. No I wouldn't accept that things just happened. I stood up so quickly she reached out to grab my hand and stop me.

"Please don't leave. We have so much to talk about! You haven't even met Kisa yet." She begged as she looked up at me through her thick black lashes as her thick black bangs fell over her eyes casting a depressing shadow on her frail features. I forced down my anger and anxiety as I smiled at her and squeezed her hand softly.

"I will be back. I need to… process all of this. It's a lot to take in. I have a personal doctor, he is the best in Japan. Would you consider relocating to Domino where I can ensure that you have the very best medical attention?" I asked as I stayed in the same place still holding her hand. She thought about this for a moment before she shrugged.

"I wouldn't want to put you out." She finally answered and I chuckled and rubbed my thumb across the top of her hand.

"I have more money than I know what to do with...Mom… let me do something good with it." I said leaving no room for her to argue. She rasped out a quiet 'Okay.' and I nodded knowing I had a lot to arrange and even more to deal with.

"Tell Kisame to be here tomorrow afternoon. I will be back tomorrow at five after Mokuba gets out of school. I will bring him with me, but I need to warn you that I have no idea how he will react to this news." I said as I puled away. Her eyes lit up at the mentioning of the son she hadn't seen in fourteen years.

"He is going through some… things. Some of it is normal teenaged hormones while some of it goes deeper than that. I have been dealing with him the best I know how, But it has been hard. He isn't doing so well and I don't know how he will react to this news on top of learning he had a sister we didn't know about." I said softly as I checked the time. I had already been here for over an hour and I remembered that I left Yami out in the hall.

"I told him about Kisame because she tracked me down and called me at Kaiba Corp earlier tonight. She told me that we had the same father but she didn't mention anything about you. It was actually while I was researching about her that I found a newspaper article that had a picture of you with her… and I had to see for myself before I said anything to him about it." I explained and she nodded looking very tired. I deliberated for only a moment before I leaned down and softly kissed her four-head.

"I'm sorry Seto." She whispered. I shook my head, nothing to be sorry for anymore. I would find a way to make everything okay because that was my job. For as long as I could remember I was making sure my brother was okay and then came Kyrri who needed me more than I knew how to handle not to mention my future children. I wanted to be the man that made things okay.

"I'll be back tomorrow. Will you tell Kisame I'm sorry I yelled at her on the phone. I'm not exactly ready to deal with that when I have so much to think about. But I promise tomorrow I will find a way to make this all work." I said as I reached for the door. I took a giant breath as I closed the door behind me and looked up to find Yami leaned against the all as if he hadn't moved the whole time.

"Bout damn time Kaiba!" he yelled as he jumped forward and stared at me with narrowed eyes.

"Sorry… that wasn't what I expected to find." I muttered as I began walking down the hall to leave the hospital. He clicked his tongue but otherwise stayed silent. That was what I liked about him, he wouldn't pry too much. Instead he would just let me tell him when I wanted to.

"So it was her then?" He finally asked as we walked outside into the blisteringly cold winter air. I nodded keeping my head down as I walked towards my sleek car. He jumped into the passenger seat pulling his coat around him tightly and began fiddling with the heater as soon as I had turned the ignition.

"She is really sick Yami." I whispered after what seemed like an endless amount of silence. He peeked up at me with his piercing crimson eyes but said nothing. Instead he placed a comforting hand on my arm as he watched me.

"And what about that sister you were talking about?" He asked as he pulled away. I shook my head as I focused on driving wishing I had used a limo so I could decompress from all of the stress the visit had put on me.

"She wasn't even there. But she will be tomorrow when I bring Mokuba to meet his mother." I said in a cold empty voice. It didn't fool Yami though, I knew he could hear the undertones of stress under my monotone. I found it was almost pointless to try and disguise my feelings around him or his sister. Even Yugi had learned to read me like a book much to my displeasure.

"Do you think Mokuba is ready for that?" He asked quietly. I gripped the steering wheel tightly before I answered honestly.

"No, I don't think he is."

Kry: Well, there is chapter twenty one people. I apologize that it took me so long to get it posted. Its been a few months I think, but I was working on side projects. This chapter, though important for the end of the story is sadly just filler, But I promise I am drawing near the final battle and the end of this installment. After I am done if you guys are interested I was planning to write the prequel which takes place in ancient Egypt or possibly a sequel I have planned out that explains how the Kaiba children will become hero's in their own right. Let me know! Much love!


	21. Chapter 21

AN) I don't own Yugioh, I'm sorry for my long delay with this update, it was a difficult chapter to write but I finally managed. So with out further wait here you go.

WARNING: Graphic Scenes.

Chapter 21

Bakura POV

"You're going to be late for school." Ryou said as he pushed me out of the dark bedroom with an annoyed look. I groaned and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. Of course I had been awake until close to three am this morning slumped over my calculus text book. Math was just one of those things that befuddled me completely. Like what's the point in imaginary numbers and systems made of foil and words like quadratic anyways?

"I'll just take a quick shower." I grumbled as I let him push me all the way into the bathroom before he closed the door. I heard him sigh in relief from the other side and I stopped moving to hear him lean his head against the outside of the bathroom door. Unsure if I should ignore his relief or open the door and acknowledge his strange emotions.

As of late he had been more or less okay, the panic attacks had stopped and he was willing to go out of the house in small bursts, only to Kaiba's house though. He had dropped out of school officially, though I was still going in his place even if he didn't understand why I chose to keep going. I myself was a little confused about it too. I wasn't exactly book smart, but I was defiantly far from unintelligent. L

So I was pretending to be a regular seventeen year old boy with real life problems like tests and grades and cram school. Yes, I had signed up for cram school four nights a week and ever minute I wasn't in school, at cram classes I was at the Kaiba mansion helping train the young Kaiba boy and training alongside the Pharoah and Kaiba.

Everyone was showing marked signs of improvement. Kaiba had completely gained control of his power, he didn't even need the rod anymore. He focused most of his efforts on his offensive spells as opposed to his healing. Kyrri was the better healer anyways, always had been. Yami he was training on Grand skills such as time distortion and containing several people within a pocket of the shadow realm. He also spent a great deal of time summoning monsters into our realm and focused on regaining his position of power over the beasts. He had to be ready to summon the gods if we needed them. He had to fully become the Pharaoh he was meant to be, a feat rather difficult in the modern world.

I had been focusing so much of my time helping everyone else that I hadn't quite had time to train myself and whatever time I found at home that I didn't spend with my hikari I spend bent over text books trying to force this times knowledge in my already full head.

I turned the shower on as I continued to contemplate my life as it was now. I was happy, more so now than I could remember being. Having finally let go of my useless hatred for the Pharoah and let go of the hopes that I would one day make Kyrri my own I had plenty of room to develop new thoughts and feelings.

An image of Ryou flooded my mind as I blushed under the hot water. Of course I had known for some time now that I felt something towards my light. While he was in Zork's clutches I had been beside myself with guilt and remorse. But as soon as I had him home and in my arms the reality of the situation had hit me full force like a ton of bricks. I was in love with him. In ways I didn't actually know I was capable of. Sure I had coveted the Pharoah sister when we were children but I had come to terms with the fact that it was misplaced feelings of friendship and desire for the throne and all the riches that had fueled those thoughts.

No my feelings for Ryou were legitimate and it broke my heart because he just wasn't the same now. His time with the dark Lord had tainted him, exposed him to a kind of darkness I had always tried to shield him from. Not that I thought he wasn't good enough, not by any means. He was still perfect to me but he did not see himself that way anymore. Perhaps he never had had a lot of confidence really but now he hated himself. So even though I knew without a shadow of a doubt we were two sides of the coin. We were of the same soul I also knew that if he didn't love himself then he could never really love me in the ways that we would require to be happy. I wasn't sure if he was capable of being happy anymore even with my most valiant efforts.

Realizing that the water was running cold and I hadn't finished washing my long hair I rushed through the motions jumped out without drying. I wrapped the fluffy cream colored towel around my waist, quickly brushed my teeth, pulled my hair into a messy bun and departed from the bathroom.

I changed into my uniform and walked into the kitchen seeing I still had fifteen minutes before I would have to walk to meet Jounoichi to go to school. Ryou had his back turned to me as he stood in front of the coffee pot. He was staring at the mosaic tiles on the kitchen wall. I said his name but he didn't even flinch so I walked right behind him and observed the dark purple color of his aura.

"No I can't please…" He whispered just as I Was about to touch his shoulder. I narrowed my eyes slightly in concern for my Ryou. I felt a familiar tingle of energy but couldn't place it as a chill rippled through my hikari.

I spun him quickly not caring that I startled him and tucked him into my arms in a possessive manner though I wasn't sure where my protectiveness came from. He froze for three agonizing seconds before he slowly relaxed and laid his head on my shoulder and gripped my school jacket tightly.

I pressed my lips gently onto his hair line and heard him sigh softly. Whatever was bothering him was gone now as his aura returned to its usually yellow and orange colors.

"Better now?" I whispered softly and he nodded while chuckling quietly. He looked up at me then and gave me a genuine smile and even though I could see the darkness deep in his eyes it was under a layer of happiness and that was enough for me.

"I made you coffee." He said then as he stepped out of my arms And Turning to pour me a cup.

"Thank you love." I smiled as I took the mug and began packing my multitude of books into the messenger bag I had grown used to carrying everywhere. Ryou made an adorable meeping noise and when I glanced at I'm he was red from head to toe but he quickly shook his head and began helping me pack my books. I had a bad habit of leaving them out at night when I passed out slumped over my notes. Ryou usually woke me shortly after I would pass out and drag me to bed.

We had been sharing a bed the whole time. At first I had relinquished his bed back to him and I had spent my nights on the couch, but his regular nightmares and his near about inability to sleep all together had prompted me to hold him through the night so that he could get at least a few moments of peace. Not that I had minded such an outcome in the least bit.

"Here Kura. You should eat." He said as he held out a half of a bagel with strawberry cream cheese spread across it as he gave me a worried look. I narrowed my eyes at him slightly before taking the food.

"What about you?" I asked as he sighed and rolled his eyes before showing me the other half of the bagel. I smiled and thanked him as I let him shove mine in my mouth. Looking at my watch I realized I had to leave now lest I be late and I gave my age a once over to make sure everything was where it should be. Still feeling like I was forgetting something but not having the time to look I brushed a strand of my lights hair from his face and bid my farewell. Ryou waved at the door as I gave him a last minute hug and I tried to ignore the relief in his eyes at my departure.

I ran the three blocks to my meeting point with Jounoichi and pulled out my largest text book, Biological Chemistry. True this was not a high school book. It was for college students but Ryou had it already and I had jumped on the opportunity to learn. If I were to follow in Ryou's example and become a doctor then I would have to study my ass off and that was the whole reason I cared. I wanted to be able to assure the stable lifestyle he deserved without having to rely on his father's money. I knew their relationship was strained to say the least.

I was smart enough to realize my aspirations were a little too high and pretty much unrealistic but so far I was keeping my grades up and I was managing to balance school, life, training, and Ryou with minimal issues. Just my constant exhaustion and a bout of terrible head aches.

Kyrri insisted I needed reading glasses but I refused to comply with her demands that I go see an optometrist. Apparently an eye doctor, it seemed silly. I hadn't needed glasses in Egypt, even though there was no such thing and I didn't need them now either.

This was how Jou found me. Leaned against the light pole at the corner of the street with my nose shoved in my book and a half eaten bagel hanging out of my mouth. He laughed as he came into my peripheral vision and I scowled at him.

"Do you even have a life man. All you ever do is read, what is this Bio Chem? Is that even a course we can take?" he teased and I closed my book and tucked it under my arm as we began walking to school.

"As a matter o' fact no it isn't. I'm studying for college. If I don't at least understand a little bit of this rubbish then there is no way that I'll be able to make it through med school." I groaned. Truth be told I was actually quite worried about it. School was expensive and while Ryou's father was paying for my cram school and would be more than willing to pay for college in the guise that I was indeed his son I was terrified to fail and waste the resorts being offered to me.

"Wow, you're such a nerd. You're even worse than Ryou." He laughed and I snorted but otherwise ignited him. Soon we were at the school and Yugi was waiting for us under our tree. We greeted her as we lounged underneath the thick oak for a few moments before classes would start.

"Hey meatloaf!" She said as she lightly punched me in the arm and I smirked. It had been months and I still hadn't I've that one down. Yugi wasn't the only one who called me that either, half the student populace had picked up the nick name from her.

"yeah yeah tranny." I rebounded and she glared at me but it was all in good fun.

"So Jou are you glad it's Friday?" she asked and my eyes widened. I didn't hear what Jou said as I literally dumped my messenger bag our on the side walk and began desperately digging through its contents.

"Bakura, what's wrong?" Jou asked s he watched me with a strange look. I ignored him as panic set in.

"Shit. Shit. Shit." I muttered as I realized that I left the envelope at home on the kitchen table. How could I possibly forget something so very fucking important. Yugi kneeled down next to me And tried to help me sort through my loose papers.

"What are you looking for?" she asked and I groaned and put my head in my hands.

"Kura!" I heard my name being shouted and I glanced up to see Ryou running down the street still in his PJs. He was even bare footed ass he padded down the street holding the large envelope I so desperately needed. I felt gratitude to this beautiful boy rush through me as I ran to him and wrapped my arms around his waist securely.

"You left your application to TMU. I knew today was your deadline to give it to the counselor." He explained and I nodded my head at a loss for words. Sure he had been out of the house several times but never alone, without me right by his side. I would never expect him to go out of his comfort zone for me like this and the fact that he found it so important to run all the way to school half dressed had me grinning from eat to ear.

"Thank you so much." I said as I lifted him up and spun him around. I wasn't even happy over the application, I was just so pleased with him and his bravery. In this moment I could care less if I went to college or become a doctor, it was all for Ryou anyways. No right now it was enough to see him trying so hard.

Seto's POV

"Mokuba, it is time to wake up." I said as I gently shook his shoulder to rouse him from his sleep. Since he was still being home schooled I had been lax on his bedtime and usually let him sleep in until at least ten but today we had business to attend to.

He groaned and pulled his thick blue comforter that matched his bed. I had refurnished most of his things. Kyrri had disagreed with me at first, but upon seeing how the state of his room had depressed him we had went out and furnished everything while Yami and Yugi had teen him to the arcade the day he got ungrounded. He had been so thrilled when he came home to his new TARDIS comforter and posters all over his walls that he had cried and began sleeping in his room again.

"Go away Seto it's too early." He groaned. I grabbed his blanket and jerked it off of him with a chuckle as he shivered and used his pillow to cover his bare chest.

"What is so damn important that you have to come in here at… seven in the morning and wake me up?" he demanded only pausing to look at his alarm clock.

"Language. Besides I get up at five every morning so your argument is invalid." I sighed as he sat up with his hair sticking out in every direction. It seemed it was even more unruly now that it was short but it had grown a couple of inches and softened up around the edges looking nice now that his face had plumped back out again since he was regaining the weight he had lost.

"Alright I'm up already. Get out of my room so I can get dressed." He grumbled and pushed my arm. I smiled as I threw his blanket back in his face and strode out of the room and into my shared room with Kyrri.

She was already awake, she could never sleep late anymore because she was hungry after only three to four hours of not eating and more often than not I found myself woken in the middle of the night to fetch some strange request. I shouldn't complain too much though, as long as it didn't require me to actually get dressed and leave the mansion that is.

" God you guys stop fighting so much I don't know how much longer my rib cage can take it." She groaned as she rubbed her stomach affectionately. She was dressed in red sundress, mostly so she would be comfortable and going to the bathroom had become a regular crisis if she was wearing pants, and she had a black quarter length jacket over it and her trade mark blood red converse.

"Now you guys listen to Momma, it won't be too much longer and you'll have more room than you know what to do with in this big house. Just a few more months now." I whispered affectionately as I knelt down in front of her and grazed my hand across her super swollen abdomen. At six months with triplets she looked ten months pregnant. Though I would never share these thoughts I was constantly worried that at any moment the pregnancy would be too much for her small frame.

"Morning." She smiled down at me and I let out a contented breath as I rose up and kissed her puckered lips.

"Come on you guys let's go get some breakfast." I said patting her stomach again and she smiled brightly as she took my hand and let me escort her down the many stairs into the grand kitchen. Normally I would just use the upstairs kitchen but she was so fond of the downstairs one with all its amenities and I loved to please her.

"What's on the menu today?" I asked as I pulled out her chair. She thought about it for a minute pulling her brows together and scrunching her nose in an adorable fashion. Her eyes brightened suddenly.

"spinach omelets with red peppers and some fruit." She declared and then began to focus on braiding her long hair into a fish tale braid, at least that's what she called it.

"That is surprisingly normal." I muttered suspiciously but she didn't say anything.

I was almost done with her omelet and already had some bananas, apples, and oranges sliced and in a bowl when I heard a loud crash. Turning quickly shocked I saw her hoisted up on the counter sitting on her butt with boxes and cans surrounding her. She held the peanut butter firmly in one hand and rubbed her temple in the other.

"Kyrri what the hell were you thinking you could have gotten hurt?" I yelled as I ran over to her after using my spatula to place her omelet on a plate. I marched to her and put one hand on each side of her widening hips as I very gently lifted her off the counter. All the while she stubbornly held onto her peanut butter.

"why don't you ask for help baby?" I asked as she stomped well more like waddled back to her chair with her prize. She glared at me as she opened the plastic container.

"You were busy." She pouted and I pinched the bridge of my nose before I snapped.

"that is no excuse what would we have done if you had fallen or dropped something heavy on your stomach?" I asked seeing Mokuba come into the room dressed and he had even combed his hair to my surprise.

"Not a hard this to accomplish." He laughed as he noted the huge mess. She shot daggers at him with her eyes but didn't comment.

I sat her food in front of her with a sigh and poured myself another cup of coffee. This would make six since I woke up this morning.

"Hey guys, morning." Yugi said as she walked in with a very tired looking Pharaoh in tow. She was already dressed for school, and she had her hair pulled back into a pony tale and a little make up. She had really taken to the whole girl thing for sure.

"are you going somewhere?" Yami yawned as he asked Mokuba who was never awake this early anymore. He looked at me but I didn't know what to tell him yet, I hadn't actually formulated a plan. He shrugged.

"That's what Seto says." He replied as he poured a bowl of cookie crisp cereal and made a glass of orange juice.

"Eww, that's freaking disgusting!" He wailed and stared in shock as Kyrri smeared a large dollop of peanut butter on her omelet. She turned red but still stuffed a rather big bite in her mouth.

"Sorry, blame your brother, it's his stupid genes." She mumbled around a mouthful of food. I smirked.

"I'll take the blame for that I guess." I said. Yugi grabbed some toast and kissed Yami on the brow before she ran off to the waiting limo.

"Any plans today Yami?" Kyrri asked cheerfully as she finished her food. He nodded with a frown.

"I'm going to go to the game shop. I need to see Jiichan, I need to make him see some sense. Yugi can't go on without her grandfather, she isn't showing it but I know she is torn up about the situation." He said gloomily. I narrowed my eyes, never really getting the whole story on that one.

"What exactly happened?" Kyrri asked and she watched her twins frown deepen considerably as he remembered that night.

"Well we went there and opened the door. Jiichan was furious. He didn't understand, he thought that I used my magic to change Yugi into a female for my own selfish reasons. When Yugi tried to explain she said that she was happy like this. As if she were always meant to be this way, to be with me. He got so angry he slapped her, immediately he looked remorseful but by then the damage was done. Yugi broke down and I yelled at him as I escorted her out. He yelled that if we left then we could never come back. By the time we got home, here I mean she stopped crying and hasn't spoken of it since. She is acting like it never happened." He admitted and I found myself personally angry at the old man. Yami hadn't screwed Yugi up, I had and she was doing fine. Anyone could look at her and see that se was happy, just how well she blended into this new life. For an old man always going on and on about the bonds of friendship and family I really hadn't thought he would go as far as to hit his own flesh and blood. I leveled my face as the anger reached my eyes and cracked my knuckles.

"Good for you. You tell him that I am the one responsible for Yugi's unfortunate predicament and if he has a problem with it to take it up with me." I sneered at nothing really but my protectiveness over his hikari made him smile.

"You know, a year ago if someone would have told me that I would be in the here eating breakfast with my sister and future brother in law the almighty Seto Kaiba I probably would have laughed and sent them on a one was trip to the shadow realm. We have all come full circle now, and this is why we Will defeat Zork once and for all. Our bonds are unbreakable." Yami said with a genuine smile full of gratitude at each of us. I wanted to comment on his typical sappy sentiment but as I glanced at my bride to be who smiled a 100 watt smile at her brother while she held his hand I found myself hoping that he was right.

'Please Ra let him be right.' I prayed as I closed my eyes and though of the future.

"It will be good for me to get some alone time today anyways. I want to reorganize the nursery." She smiled but it didn't look right, her mouth was too tight and I could see the tale tell signs of her anxiety and I realized this would literally be her first time alone since she moved in when we found out she was pregnant.

"I can stay home if you need me too. I can go to Jiichan on Monday. Yugi will survive one more weekend." Yami said looking just as worried about her as I felt. She paled a little looking aghast.

"No Yami, no you go talk to Yugi's grandpa. I'll be fine. Once I get up stares I'll stay up there so we don't have to worry about me tumbling down the stairs or anything like that." She said and waved her arm out. I chewed the inside of my mouth, this needed to happen today. Mokuba needed this closure and I didn't want to put it off.

"Are you sure?" I asked as I brushed back the one piece of hair that didn't stay in her braid behind her ear. She nodded looking very serious and I decided I would just have to trust everything would be okay.

"I love you." I sighed and she leaned forward to awkwardly hug me in return over her bulging torso.

"Alright Mokuba, let's go. It's a long drive to Tokyo." I said as I stood and straightened my black turtle neck sweater to smooth out the bumps. I gave myself a mental once over. Tight black jeans and a nice pair of dress shoes. I had my locket dangling from my neck as always and was pleased to see Mokuba had taken to wearing his once more.

He was dressed in a pair of faded skinny jeans with a knee torn out and a loose fitting Kingdom Hearts 2 tee shirt. He had his TARDIS converse on and I smirked. Him and Kyrri shared a lot of interests including their obsession with all things nerd. I teased them both relentlessly about how they embodied the spirit of the nerd heard. They usually reminded me I was basically vice president of the nerd heard now. Gag.

"So are you going to tell me where we're gong bro or do I have to guess.?" Mokuba asked suspiciously once we were alone in the living room. I watched him twirling the scales in his hands.

"Leave those here. You won't need it today." I said ignoring his question and motioning towards his millennium item. His eyes widened and his gaze followed mine and his hands clasped tighter around the golden handle.

"But Seto…" He shifted uncomfortably and trailed off. I was glad he was so attached it was important to bond with your item but I also didn't want to have to explain this to them when we got there. I already had enough explaining to do for Mokuba's behalf.

"Fine. I'll just put it in my room but I don't like this." He groaned and stalked off stubbornly.

Mokuba's POV

I gently sat the scales down on the dresser in my room and heard the soft but distinctly high pitched whine my item put off in protest of my abandonment. I sighed, it was like I knew something was going to happen today and I could just feel it.

Besides I'm not stupid. I knew we were going to meet this supposed sister. Turns out our biological father was even more of a piece of shit that I already thought he was. The way he pushed me into Seto when I was a baby and he was just a little boy, to binge and drink his sorrows away. I didn't want to meet some sister who had a great life with at least one of her parents. I didn't even really know what it was like to have parents, Seto was great but it wasn't like having a dad or a mom…

I had been thinking about this a lot lately as Kyrri got more and more pregnant. She was so big I was sure she would explode but she still had three months to go. Though she wouldn't make it to full term a coursing to Seto. The babies would run out of room and she was almost sure to deliver early. She was putting off bed rest as long as she could, but it was looming over her head. Seto was so good with her and so happy about the turn of events. I could see what a great dad he was going to be and it hurt.

Logically I knew it wasn't his fault I was upset. It was stupid for me to let my feelings be hurt. Of course he was happy, of course he wanted to be a good father, it was normal for him to be excited. I just wish that I knew a little bit about what that felt like, to have parents.

I shook these thoughts away and grabbed a black misfits hoodie and a pair of sunglasses I shoved in my pocket. I glanced at my bed and froze. I knew that was still stashed underneath my mattress, a bag full of Xanax. Seto hadn't found it and I hadn't had the heart to get rid of it yet, but I also hadn't touched it.

I bit my lip and clenched and uncle NC he'd my fist as I deliberated. Quickly before I could think too much more about it I pulled out the bag and grabbed two bars and shoved them into my front pocket. Just in case, I didn't plan to take them but without the scales with me I felt better knowing I had an out if I got to angry or upset.

Seto eyed me as I came back downstairs but he didn't say anything. Truth be told he looked nervous himself. He was quiet and kept running his hand through his hair and dusting off his perfectly clean clothes again and again. His brows were constantly knit together but I assumed he was worried about leaving Kyrri here alone since it didn't seem likely some girl we never met had him at ends.

When we got into the car he tried to start conversation a few times but I didn't feel like talking. I couldn't explain the twisting knots in my gut were all about but it was keeping me down in spirits. Eventually he exhaled and his grip tightened on the wheel as he grit his teeth together and stayed quiet.

I pulled my sunglasses out and put them on to block out the oppressing glare of the early morning sun. He eyed me and then shook his head returning his attention to the traffic.

When the car finally stopped I narrowed my eyes as I read the large blue letters on the building. Tokyo Hospital. What?

"I thought we were meeting this supposed sister." I said using my fingers in quotations at the word sister. He closed his eyes and placed his head on the steering wheel.

"Mokuba, there's something I need to tell you. Something I found out last night. Something big, that changes everything I thought about our lives." He finally said speaking clearly and slowly only opening his eyes and looking at me after he spoke. I tensed up immediately, I could see it on his face, he was beside himself, and that scared the shit out of me.

"What do you mean?" I asked in a quiet voice unprepared for his answer.

"Kisame, or Kisa our sister… she is my twin sister." He stopped gauging my reaction and I felt my eyes widen and my brow shoot under my while bangs in shock. How was that even possible. Was she adopted at birth?

"that doesn't make any sense Seto." I said immediately disregarding the idea.

"Mokuba, mom is alive." He whispered and I saw behind is usual neutral expression. He looked devastated himself, and I realized he had been upset all morning. Be had just been pretending that he was alright. If he was this upset then he had to be telling me the truth.

I replayed what he said once more in my head. Mom was alive, our mom. My mom… I sucked in a sharp breath and held it. Seto grabbed my arm gently and looked into my eyes but I could not see him. It was like I was looking through him. Every memory I had while growing up had been Overshadowed by my guilt. Every birthday I had been depressed. Mt whole life I had bated myself and hide that behind my cheerful child like demeanor until recently when I had finally cracked under the pressure of my undeniable guilt. Unwarranted, useless guilt.

I felt the first wave of tears overflow and I covered my mouth with my hand sure I was about to be sick.

"Oh Mokuba, I'm so sorry. I didn't know how else to tell you. We are here to meet Kisame, but that's not who is in the hospital. It's mom, she's sick. I didn't know how you would feel about this, I didn't know what to do. But I knew you needed to face this, to see her. Even if you end up hating her for not being there at least you won't hate yourself anymore." He said and pulled me over the center console into a bone crushing hug. I felt him shaking just slightly and I clung to the fact that no matter what Seto was here. I knew then I was right that something was wrong, but I was wrong to think I needed a crutch. I pulled back slowly, knowing I was about to get into trouble.

"Seto… I'm sorry. Here take these. I don't want them." I said pulling out the Xanax and shoving them in his hands before I could chicken out. His eyes widened and he gaped at me.

"Mokuba…" He began and I cut him off.

" I'm sorry. You didn't find these, they were under my bed. I haven't taken any I swear to God Seto. I haven't even touched them till today but when I was leaving my scales upstate I panicked. I thought I needed something just in case. But all I need is you big brother." I said and hid my face from him. I couldn't see this disappointment in his azure eyes.

He startled me by lifting my chin to look at him. He didn't look angry, he looked glad. He didn't say anything but the message was clear, he believed me. He had faith in me. I nodded to myself.

"Okay, let's go inside. I don't, I don't know if I can handle staying long. I don't know how I'll felt but you're right I have to face this.

"I'm so proud of you Moki." He said with a small half Crescent smile he reserved just for me and I didn't even complain about him calling me such a baby name.

We got out of the car and he tossed the blue bars on the ground and stomped them into the parking lot with his designer shoes.

I followed him inside the building swallowing all of my fear but I found myself grasping onto the sleeve of his shirt like I used to when I. Was younger.

"This is it Mokuba, this is your last chance to back out. We can come back later." He said softly as we paused in front of her door. I glanced at the thick wood of the door afraid.

"No, we drove all this way. I need to see her. I need to know." I said with as much assurance ad I could muster and he set his jaw as he knocked. I heard a raspy 'Come in.' and Seto opened the door slowly.

I found myself suddenly very interested in the tiles on the floor as I followed his five steps into the small room. I looked around at my surrounding first since they were safer to observe. A typical hospital room, all kinds of equipment I didn't understand at all and the walls were a pale eggshell white. There was one estranged person in the room, besides the woman in he bed I refused to look at.

"Oh my gosh." A girl exclaimed and I stared at her then. My God she looked just like Seto, he too was surprised as he stared at her. His whole face had went slack in shock but he didn't say a word.

The girl, Kisa I guess took a step forward and I made note of their similarities. Same hair color and texture though hers went down to her mid shoulders in a wild array of wavy curls same height though she was thin and curvy where it was important. Her eyes were a mirror of Seto's deep cerulean and I got a good look at who he would be if his spell had backfired and turned himself into a girl.

"I should apologize Kisame, for how I spoke to you on the phone." Seto finally said sounding every bit as awkward as I knew he felt. Her eyes watered and she shook her head.

"Mom told me how you came last night. It's okay, I should have thought about calling you out of the blue. I didn't even mention mom on the phone because I was worried it would make you angry. I guess I pissed you off anyways." She laughed. He repeated his apology then he turned to me and took a big breath.

"Mom, Kisame. This is Mokuba." He said stepping out of the way so they could see me. I knew then I had to face her and I turned to my mother. My mouth went dry and my hands started to sweat. I fought off the room spinning.

"…Mom…" I finally whispered but before she could answer tears started to fall again and I felt the waves of my constant sadness crush on top of me and I couldn't breath. Seto gripped my hand in a silent show of support. But he didn't have words, what do you even say in this situation. How was I suppose to feel?

"Mokuba, my baby. Oh how I have missed you. You're so grown up, look at you. Oh… no I promised myself I wouldn't…" She gasped out as she began to cry too.

Feeling guilty for making tears come from her storm cloud eyes so much like my own I took a step forward and saw how thin she was. How sick she was, whatever anger was swirling inside me quelled as I stepped to her side letting go of Seto's hand. I touched her arm softly unsure what else to do and before I knew it she had pulled against her chest. I inhaled deeply taking note of her scent under the hospital smell. and let my tears of frustration and guilt was over me until it faded into a dull ache.

Kyrri's POV

I waved to Yami as he left. It took me an hour and a half to get him to finally leave and as soon as he was off the estate I waddled as quickly as my whale sized body would allow to the closet where I kept my purse. I would have to make this quick lest I get caught.

I quietly snuck out of the house and around to the garage where the many cars were. Parked there was the car Seto had insisted he buy me even though I never used it except when he was teaching me to drive to I could get my license. Though I had to admit it was smooth as fuck and it did look like 'me'.

Feeling guilty already for my secrecy I quickly started the car and pulled out of the garage before I could change my mind.

The drive across town was too slow and my nerves were going haywire. Maybe I should have talked to Seto about this and asked him to bring me or even asked Bakura to break in for me.

Finally I stopped in front of my old house, actually in front of Jou's house and killed the car. I waited patiently for any sign of life.

My dad's car was gone and after sitting and chewing my nails for ten minutes I finally pulled myself out of the red firebird.

I quickly waddled my way into my old yard and pulled my old key out of my wallet unlocking the door. The house was even more disgusting than I had anticipated and I swallowed a gag at the putrid smell of alcohol and mildew.

I looked around at the trash and beer cans that littered the floor and sighed sadly. I could remember way back when I was so little. Before mom committed suicide when things had been good. When she took her meds she was somewhat happy and dad had been my hero. But her death and her reason for leaving us had broken him. As much as I hated him, as far as I had come to realize he was in the wrong I couldn't help but feel guilty about it.

I forced myself to focus as I unlocked my door, that he surprisingly hadn't kicked in to ransack my room and took a deep breath. Nothing had changed, he hadn't touched a thing though I couldn't be sure why.

I walked to my closet and bent down to dig deep in the back where I had a box. Inside it were a variety of things I had decided I wanted to carry with me before I closed the doors of my old life and began my new one. Pieces of my past that made me who I was and defined me. Things I didn't feel like I could walk away from so easily.

I sat the box on my bed, luckily it wasn't so full that I couldn't lift it but I didn't want to have to carry it far. I walked around the room grabbing a few items scattered about. My art books and supplies and a my only picture album.

I took a deep breath and opened the box, setting aside the thick envelope that held the police file for both my mother's rape and her death, and my birth certificate. Underneath that was a bunny rattle and a few other childhood trinkets. Even a very pink and flowery little onesie.

Underneath everything else was a thick quilt that was golden and ruby colored. My mom said that making while she was pregnant helped her fuel her feelings in a constructive way. Though that though never comforted me I had loved it. It was the only thing she ever made for me.

Looking at it now I wondered why she chose the colors she did. Had they symbolized her feelings in any way? Shaking my head I packed everything away including my art stuff and put the lid back on the box and hoisted it up into my arms.

"What the fuck?" I froze as I gently dropped the box back on the bed terrified. and I knew that I was in danger. My father took a step forward and I whirled around covering my swollen abdomen with both arms and curling up a bit protectively. For whatever reason I glared at him hatefully, unusual behavior for me in such a terrifying situation.

"you're… sweet lord. You naughty little bitch." His first response was unadulterated shock, for a second he look more human than he had in years but quickly it was replaced by a petrifying and sinister grin. I made sure to stay perfectly still, coiled in case the opportunity presented it self for me to run. I wasn't sure how fast I was actually capable of moving but there was no way in he'll I was letting him touch me or my unborn children. I could feel a drink line rushing through my veins and my bracelet was warm as it hummed out in response to my fear.

"You shouldn't have come back. I'll never let you leave again." He said and quicker than I had time to calculate he had whipped out a pocket knife with a startling click. I felt my skin change color as fear crippled me. I slowly slid one hand into my back pocket and held down the first number my fingers came to knowing that most of them were set up to speed dial to all my closest friends and future family. It didn't matter who I called any of them would come.

By this time he was right in front of me with the tip of his nasty knife pressed ever so slightly against the skin of my neck. I shivered and wrapped my other arm back around my children as I stared him down.

"I have to give you credit Kyrri, you certainly grew a back bone. About damn time." He sneered as he back slapped me. I let my body twist with the force making sure to move my stomach with my head. Still my vision went white and I sucked in a breath.

"let me go damn it. For once in your miserable life let me go, get out of this fucking hell hole you created and live my life." I yelled unable to contain the bubble of pure rage that I felt as my sight returned and I glared up at his lanky aging form. For the first time in my life I wasn't afraid of him, of what he could do to me sure but not of him. I straightened my shoulders and kept my hands over my stomach.

His eyes twitched and he balled his fist up, the same hand he slapped me with and punched me in the same spot. I landed on my bed and I heard my phone hit the floor as I slid down onto the floor next to the phone.

"HOW DARE YOU! YOU CREATED THIS. SHE LOVED ME, THEN YOU CAME ALONG AND SHE HATED HERSELF AND BECAME A WEAK BITCH. SHE DIDN'T DESERVE TO LIVE." He screamed as he landed a kick on my back and spat on my shoulder. I curled up tighter determined to protect my children.

I was so fucking stupid. Why did I come here, why did I think I needed to keep this from Seto or Yami. Why didn't I bring someone with me, now I was going to die or worse we were all going to die. I chocked back a sob as pain swelled though my rib cage.

"Dad please." I begged deciding perhaps that a different tactic was necessary. While before I would just silently take his abuse now I knew I had to stop him, if pleading didn't work I had to keep him away from me for at least long enough for someone to come. I glanced at my phone to see if I could see who I called but it was face down. My bracelet glowed and I forced myself to hold back the power, even if I wanted to I couldn't fight him like this, and I couldn't heal myself.

"Don't worry I'm not going to kill you. Quite the opposite. I've been lonely with you gone, you've been a bad girl running away like this and you come home pregnant. What nine months, you know what that means." He grinned with an evil glint in his eyes and my eyes widened. No, he couldn't think that.

I began to openly sob at his accusation. Around nine months ago, just after we moved here on the worst night of my life. The night before I fell off the roof. My mind raced as memories of that night flooded me.

I couldn't breath as he knelt down and touched the side of my face with his clam my rough hand.

"Your mother never would give me a child but now you have. I'll never let you leave me again like she did. You belong to me." He purred and slid his hand down the small of my back and I dry heaved vile acid onto the floor.

"No dad, no." I half pleaded half chocked as he heaved me up by one elbow. I yelled out in pain as a rib I now knew was broken pierced me deep inside and it became even harder to breath. He threw me on the bed and I heard the box topple onto the floor. As he looked down and saw the contents he paused. This was my only chance.

I lunged up ignoring the pain in my back, side, and now creeping into my stomach. I prayed everything was okay as my three little angels were stiller than they had been in months.

I grabbed the knife from him and pointed it at him desperately. He glared and took a step.

"You don't have the balls. Besides why would you kill the father of your child?" he snarled in his delirious fantasy.

"These. Are. Not. Your. Children." I snarled as I forced myself forward, everything happened in slow motion due to the adrenaline. But it wasn't enough, I didn't even know he could move so fast as he twisted the blade around.

I continued into my forward momentum and closed my eyes. I knew it was too late now.

Jou's POV.

"Jounoichi pay attention or I will give you detention again." I turned my head up to see Mr. Kashi glare down at me and I muttered my apology.

I felt off, something felt wrong. Like a tingle in the air making my hairs stand on end. I tried to push these thoughts back and focus on my government lesson but I couldn't keep my mind from racing. Was that shadow magic or my imagination. I wondered if Bakura or Yugi felt it too but since I didn't share government with either f them I had no idea.

Just then my phone started vibrating and I pulled it out enough to look at the caller ID under the table. It was Kyrri, she knew I had school and she wouldn't call if it wasn't important. I thought back to how heavily pregnant she had looked the other day when I last saw her. Remembering that both Kaiba's were out of town as Yugi had informed us this morning and I made up my mind as I answered the phone turning to hide it as best I could.

"let me go damn it. For once in your miserable life let me go, get out of this fucking hell hole you created and live my life." I heard Kyrri's voice sounding like she was begging. I stood up then pulling the pine away long enough to look at my teacher with clear panic in Mt eyes.

" Please, my friend she is going into labor I think. This is an emergency " I said and began to walk out. He didn't argue though and I started to run down the halls and out of the school pulling the phone back to my ear to listen.

"…YOU CREATED THIS. SHE LOVED ME, THEN YOU CAME ALONG AND SHE HATED HERSELF AND BECAME A WEAK BITCH. SHE DIDN'T DESERVE TO LIVE." I recognized that this had to be her father. Quickly changing direction I began to run as fast as I could back to her old home next door to mine and prayed I was right and she was there and not the mansion.

Kyrri began sobbing then after I heard a loud smack and I mentally flinched. I had to run faster.

"Dad please." She begged again between her broken sobs.

I heard a dark chuckle much closet to the phone now.

"Don't worry I'm not going to kill you. Quite the opposite. I've been lonely with you gone, you've been a bad girl running away like this and then you come home pregnant. What nine months, you know what that means." Her father said in a quieter tone, very close now. He didn't end his sentence as a question, it was a blunt statement and I knew enough about her past to gasp as I reached the corner that our houses were on. Unfortunately they were at the opposite end of he block but I could see her shiny red car in front of my house and I knew I had been right to run this way.

I turned the phone off then shoving it in my pocket and forced my aching legs to push faster.

Her piercing scream shattered through he air with a deathly echo just as I reached the open front door. I wasted no time pressing forward into the back of the house. Her room was easy to find as I followed the heart wrenching sound of her wails.

Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw, no amount of time will wipe the image from my mind. Her father was kneeled on the ground in front of his daughter, her blood covered a large portion of the floor and ran up his pale sore covered arms as he stared frozen at her.

She was gasping for breath desperately flopping around almost like a fish and she attempted to hold her stomach while the screamed and rolled around in pain. A large handled black pocket knife was lodged between her hands, buried deep into her stomach.

White hot rage boiled through me as I charged across the short space and grabbed this monster up by his throat. He fought hard as I chocked him but he ended up making it out of my grasp.

I got lucky as he took a lunge forward the blood on the floor caused him to slip just enough to throw him off and I pulled back my whole body and swung like an in coiling snake with all the force I had. My fist connected with his jaw and I heard the defending cracked as his jaw broke. He crumpled to the floor unconscious.

Wasting no time I dropped to my knees ay her side. I didn't know what to do, she was loosing so much blood, so fast. She wasn't moving anymore, her eyes closed and that terrified me. I pulled my phone out and dialed 911. It was all I could do, I was no healer I had no millennium item.

I sobbed my way though explaining her injury and her pregnant state. They stayed on the line with me until I cried that I heard the sirens. I held her face, she was so pale and her lips here turning blue. Kaiba would kill me if she died on my watch.

Kaiba.

Oh god, Yami too.

Deciding quickly who to call first I realized it would take longer for Kaiba to get here so I called him first. Just as the EMTs came rushing in. I was edged to the corner of the room. They paid me little mind, she was in too critical condition to worry about questioning me now.

"Hello?" Kaiba answered sounding annoyed. Normally this would have immediately set me off but I barely even noticed.

"Oh Seto… I'm so sorry." I cried, unable to contain myself. Even though I had tightly closed my eyes I could still see her blood everywhere.

"What's wrong? Where is Kyrri?" he immediately demanded. Of course I wouldn't call him for no reason he knew that. I tried to calm my racing heart and breathing.

"I got a call in class and took it. It was Kyrri, she was with her dad and must have called me without him knowing. Seto, oh God…" I jumped back as the parametric began lifting her gently onto a stretcher. She was totally limp but her stomach was rolling around under the surface.

"What? Damn it what's wrong dog?" he yelled and I turned unable to look anymore.

"I think she's dying." I whispered. I heard his intake of breath and the squeal of tires. He must be driving.

"Don't fucking joke with me Jonoichi." He begged not even sounding angry in the least. He sounded desperate. I could hear Mokuba in the back ground asking what was going on.

"There is so much blood Kaiba. The babies, oh God the babies." I cried again completely unable to keep a level head.

"What hospital?" he pleaded his voice thick with emotion.

"Domino memorial medical center." I said meeting the eyes of one of the paramedic who simply nodded.

"I'm twenty minutes out to town." He said and I thank what ever God was watching.

"And Katsuya. Please stay with her." He asked softly, using my first name for the first time ever.

"Of course." I said and hung up.

Yami was next but he would have to wait until we got to the hospital as they ushered me outside with her and into the ambulance. I saw cop cars and in one of them was her unconscious father, I hadn't even noticed the police I had been so focused on Kyrri and trying to coherently explain to Kaiba what happened.

As I glared at him through the window I could see the black energy as it began to envelope him, I saw as his soul came apart from his limp body and could hear his ghostly scream as his spirit was devoured by the darkness. I realized with a start that somehow, I had sent him to the shadow realm. My finger grew warm and I looked down shocked to see a golden band on my right hand middle finger with the eye of Ra in a simple yet elegant shape on the front. Was this an item? Where had it come from?

Shaking these thought off I stepped into the ambulance and watched as they continued to pump a balloon shaped object into her mouth to keep her breathing. She wasn't as blue round the mouth but she was still bleeding and they hadn't removed the knife yet.

The ride went by in what felt like hours but in reality was only a few minutes. They began ushering her out and into the emergency doors and told me to wait in the waiting room.

I took several deep breaths as I dialed Yami's number. He answered after the second ring.

"Jou what's wrong I felt that surge of energy!" He said sounding panicked.

I explained everything to him, calmer now than I had been on the phone with Kaiba. He gasped and said he was on the way. He said he would call Yugi and she would get Bakura. I hung up without saying bye.

I began pacing a looked down at my hands covered in blood and felt my stomach flip. I found a trash can in a corner and began to up heave all of my lunch as new years prized my eyes.

"Jou!" I heard Kaiba shout as he ran to a stop behind me. I wiped my mouth and turned. He took in my appearance covered in blood, on my hands and knees. He turned green as he grabbed my shoulders tightly with a wild look in his eyes.

"Where is she? What happened?" he demanded sounding one second from a complete break down. I had never seen him like his before. Mokuba was behind him looking scared but he stayed quiet.

"When she called me she was with her father. Hearing her plead with him I knew she was in trouble so I bolted it from school back to her old house. It's next door to mine, when I got there…" I started and chocked up. He shook me gently to urge me to continue.

" she was on the floor screaming. The knife… he stabbed her Seto. Right in the middle of her stomach." I finally confessed and I watched as he dropped his arms and his face went so cold I shivered. I had never seen this complete look of desolation on anyone, even the prince of ice himself.

One by one tears pooled over the surface and trailed down his cheeks but he paid little mind as he grabbed two wads of his chestnut hair and bent his head down as his whole body quivered.

Without thinking I bent down and wrapped my arms around his shoulders in a way I hoped was comforting. To my surprise he clung to me with a desertion as genuinely painful sobs echoed out of the CEO.

I had never hugged Kaiba before, never even given him a high five but here I found myself the only one who could comfort him as I watched Mokuba begin to cry as well as he fell into a waiting room chair.

A few minutes later Yami ran inside causing Kaiba to drop his arms and step away. Yugi and Bakura came a few minutes later both looking worried. Yami filled them in on what I had told him as I had hit my limit and curled into a chair pulling my knees to my chest. Kaiba sat down next to me looking every bit of the five thousand years his spirit actually was.

It was then two police officers walked towards out group and asked me to step aside and explain what happened. I told them about the phone call, about how I ran the whole way home and exactly how I found her covered in blood on the floor. They had questions about how I had managed to knock Kyrri's father out and I explained to them that I had to protect her. The first officer gave me his card, said we would be in touch soon and left with the other officer so I turned back to my group of mourning friends.

I noticed that neither Kaiba nor Mokuba had their items with them. Neither did Yami, but Bakura who always carried his I'm sure had the ring. I thought about sharing this new item with them but now wasn't time.

"Excuses me. Is there a Mr. Kaiba?" a nurse said as she walked up to our group. Seto stood quickly acknowledging her.

" I need you to come with me sir." She said and for some reason he looked back at me with a silent question. Did he want me to go? I looked at Yami who was hysterical as Yugi tried to comfort him and Bakura was so angry he was shaking while Mokuba was still having an anxiety attack himself. I realized I was the only one here besides Kaiba keeping a remotely level head. He nodded at me and I began to follow him.

"Are you a family member?" the nurse asked after a moment and I nodded mutely. It was Kaiba who said that I was his cousin. She nodded at that and I was too far beyond being able to be surprised by his statement.

The nurse led us into a room I recognized as a consultation room. There was one of those white light screens where a doctor would place a x-ray picture.

"Mr. Kaiba your fiancée is in very critical condition if we don't operate she will die." The nurse said bluntly and Kaiba gasped.

"What about the children?" he managed to whisper and she frowned deeply as she pulled a black looking picture off of her clip board. She placed it on the screen and looked back at him.

"I'm so sorry." She said before she flipped the light on. I felt the room whirl sideways as I stared. Kaiba dropped to his knees without words as he stared up at the x-ray of Kyrri's stomach. Two babies seemed untouched, while the third… I chocked back vomit I didn't know was left after my first round of puking.

The third baby, frozen in what looked like a painful position… right in the center of the tiny chest was the knife that apparently they still hadn't removed.

"the over two?" He cried out with his hands planted on the tile floor. The nurse cleared her throat, obviously affected by the news she was having to give.

"Both alive but fading with Miss Rutherford. If we don't act fast they will all die." She said as she began shoving paperwork under his nose.

"Save them please." He begged as he signed ever line and initialed every dot. She nodded and then ran off.

"Katsuya." He whispered after a long time. I crouched down next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. To my surprise he actually turned and pulled me to where he could lean his head against my shoulder. It wasn't awkward, he needed someone and I was here.

Seto's POV

After I finally gained the strength to stand Jounoichi had led me back to the waiting room where the others had all calmed considerably. Yami didn't even look mad that I hadn't taken him, he must have understood.

"How is she?" he asked touching my arm. I looked into his hopeful eyes and felt a new wave of tears as they pushed to the surface and I hid my face from my group of friends.

It was Jou who explained the scene I hoped I could forget, explained how one of my daughters was dead and how they might all die too. This was too much for me, if I lost Kyrri I would go mad, scratch that I was already full of heart break and anger. I couldn't loose anymore than I already had.

"Their going to be so little, barely old enough to breath with assistance." Bakura suddenly piped up sounding hopeless as he buried his face in his palms.

"Don't say that. They will live. They will all live." I barked and he nodded. I watched as he sat down and clasped his hands together as if he was praying. At some point his hikari had showed up and sat silently beside him. Ryou was the only one with dry eyes.

My daughter.

I didn't even know what she looked like, I would never know her, watch her grow. We hadn't even decided on names thinking we had at least another month before Kyrri would be forced to have a c section.

"I can't do this." I suddenly chocked out and tried to escape to where I don't know but I needed to get away from the pain that was suffocating me. Jou grabbed my arm and held it firm. He gave me a determined look and I knew he would fight me to keep me here. After a moment I surrendered, he was right. I couldn't run from this.

What if she dies?

What if I loose my heart and soul, what if the children grow up with no mother just like Mokuba had, what if one day they blamed themselves for her death and she really wouldn't be there in the end? Or worse what if I lost all three? Could I live in a world without them?

"Mr. Kaiba." A different doctor spoke and I looked up to see him dressed in scrubs and there was still the staining of blood splatters on his shirt front.

"Doctor, please." I gasped unable to finish the sentence.

"Miss Rutherford is being stabilized now, we're having to give her a blood transfusion, is there anyone related by blood here?" he asked and Yami stood up. The doctor explained that they needed him to come give blood. And he agreed.

"What about my children?" I asked afraid of the answer. He smiled then and a flutter of hope rushed through me.

"They made it through it was a miracle. I've never seen anything like it in all my years son, but they are very premature and it is going to be touch and go for a while to come. I could expect them to be in the NICU for at least another two months if not three so they have a chance to gain weight and learn to breath on their own." I wasn't sure what he meant at first but He ended in a cautioning tone and I grasped his shoulders looking him directly in the eye.

"From the bottom of my heart thank you sir." I said very seriously. He chuckled.

"No need for that son. It's my job. You can all follow me I'll take you to the NICU. Before I get you hooked up to get that blood." He said pointing to Yami.

We followed him into the elevator and up to the sixth floor around several turns I say a large rounded window with a bright room full of little incubator beds inside.

I touched the glass softly as I searched the room until my eyes landed on two incubators with little cards on the front that said 'Baby Kaiba' on them, one pink and one blue.

The doctor waved a nurse to the door and she motioned me to follow her into a small room before the NICU so that I could wash up and make sure it was safe for me to be around the fragile immune systems of the babies kept here.

She led me to the center of the room and I stopped in front of the little plastic domed beds. The first bed held my only daughter and I forced myself not to be sad in this moment. The nurse told me I could reach in through a little door and touch them gently but I could not hold them.

I reached in and softly caressed her tiny little face. Her little pink hat fell off and I noticed the slight brown fuzz on her head. Pulling my phone out I snapped a picture sure to turn the flash off.

After a moment I turned to the other cot to my son. Pride swelled in my chest. The nurse watching me encouraged I take a look at his head so I lifted the little blue cap and actually found myself chuckling softly. Though very short and thin his hair was the exact replica of his uncles. Little black and reddish spikes with a small perfect curl of blond in the front. I took a picture of him too. And glanced up through the large windows to my family standing outside. I never knew I could feel a love like this, for as much as I loved my beautiful wife to be it was nothing like this. Nothing could Compare.

I stepped back then and allowed the nurse to close the little round doors.

"What about my other daughter. I would like to honor her memory, hold a funeral perhaps." I said quietly. The nurse gave me a thousand watt smile and pointed to a third incubator, one u hadn't noticed farther in the back of the room and more intricate looking than the first two, because I hadn't had the for sight to look for it.

Tears welled up in my eyes and I stared down into the cot to see my second daughter who should have been gone. She was smaller than the other two and appeared to be hooked up to more equipment than her siblings.

Her hair was black as Kyrri and she didn't have a little hat like the others. I could clearly see the distinct pink line on her bare chest where I know the knife had been. I looked up at he nurse confused but she had no answers for me.

"Greater miracles have happened. No one knows how or why, the doctor said the room grew brighter for a second and when he removed her last that she was still breathing, that the knife must not have impacted her as we originally thought. The birthmark is a complete coincidence." She explained but I knew better. This was a scar, she had been healed but with Kyrri completely out of it I didn't know who could have done such a thing and I remembered the story Isis told of Yami and Kyrri's birth.

I pulled my phone out once more and took a third picture before I straightened up and wiped my eyes thanking Ra and every other God above for my children and praying that everyone would be okay.

"Daddy will be back. I promise. I just have to check on Mommy. I love you." I spoke softly to my three children even if they couldn't hear me in their little plastic beds.

Making my way back into the hall I was assaulted by my group of friends with a slew of questions. I quietly explained everything including the mysterious healing of my daughter. Yami wondered if the Gods had heard our prayers and blessed us but I didn't know. I pulled my phone out showing them first my smallest child, my little miracle baby. Everyone smiled as the phone was passed around and they whispered about the screen on her bare chest. Then I showed them her sister and how she looked like me. Finally I showed them my son, with his wild hair and Jou and Bakura laughed out loud as Yami smiled a giant proud uncle smile.

He was ushered off then to go don't blood for Kyrri and I found myself worried again as I knew I would be until I saw her again.

AN) Holy crap guys! This took so much for me to write. I literally cried and even though I had full intentions for Kyrri and Kaiba to loose one of the children I found myself unable to. I hope my way of saving her wasn't too far fetched given the story I've wrote. Please forgive me for my long long wait for this update. I'm so sorry.


	22. Chapter 22

AN) I Own nothing!

Please enjoy.

Chapter 22

Jou's POV

I woke up stiff and stretched my arms out above my head groaning as I heard my joints pop in protest. I looked around momentarily confused about my surroundings until I realized I was still at the hospital in Kyrri's room. Kaiba was here somewhere I was sure and I assumed that he must be with the triplets in the NICU, he had spent plenty of time at her side last night but he seemed to have a hard time staying away from his new children and who could blame him. As small as they were, thy were already adorable. And it was a miracle they were all okay.

I recalled Kaiba explaining to us last night when we were gathered around Kyrri's bed while she slept that he was sure that shadow magic was at play here but he didn't know how or who had healed his youngest daughter.

The doctors were just as baffled and said that they must have made a mistake when doing the X-ray since when she was born she was fine, well at least in the sense that she was alive. They told Kaiba her scar had been a birthmark but we all knew better.

Yami was asleep on the other side of the room in a chair, his hair was tousled making it more wild looking. He had his arm curled up under his head as he leaned against the edge of her bed and was drooling just a little.

He had convinced Yugi to go home around one am and Bakura had taken Ryou home around an hour later when he fell asleep promising to be back some time today.

So me, the Pharaoh and Kaiba were the only ones who stayed over night. I'm sure that Kaiba was curious about my determination not to leave.

Just the I heard a knock and looked up at the open door to see two police officers standing there. One was tall and blonde with short cut hair and kind of looked like he was constipated with his face scrunched up. The other was younger looking and had black hair, your typical Asian, there wasn't anything very distinguishing about him.

"Mr. Jounoichi we need you to come it us to the station. We have a few questions." The tall cop said , his voice was gravelly and he sounded tired as if he had been awake all night and I wondered if he had been one of the officers from last night.

I stood up and walked into the hall casting Kyrri one last look and seeing she of course hadn't moved and Yami was still passed out.

"could we talk here? I'm really worried about my friend and I don't like the idea of leaving." I asked earning me a glare from Mar tall cop.

"That's not how this work son." He grunted making me confused and fear bubbled in my chest.

"Mr. Jounoichi, Mr. Rutherford passed last night due to a substantial head injury he received from you. With Miss Rutherford still unconscious you can't be ruled out as a suspect in his murder and her assault." He explained and I paled. I knew he hadn't died due to a head injury, it was because of me.

I Don't know where the Item had come from or why but I knew that I had banished his soul to the shadow realm. I had been around shadow magic for too long to recognize what I had done.

"But I only acted in defense for Kyrri's sake. He attacked her not me, when I ran in she was already on the floor, she looked like she was dying. Of course I knocked her dad out but I didn't mean too…" I scrambled through my order ad I barked into the wall in the hallway outside of her door. The shorter cop had started writing down in a little memo book.

"Please officer, speak to Kaiba or her Brother Yami. Any of our friends can attest to her abuse." I pleaded through my panic. They exchanged looks again. A hand landed on my shoulder and I glanced back to see a stoic faced Kaiba glaring at the police officers as he would anyone else and I sighed.

"Is there a problem Sir?" he demanded in a hard voice directing his attention to the taller of the two and I noticed for the first time the sheriff's badge.

"Mr. Jounoichi is our prime suspect in the murder of Mr. Rutherford and the assault of your fiancée Mr. Kaiba, we have to take him in for further questioning." He said looking awkwardly up at Kaiba since he was a good two inches taller.

"That is preposterous! Katsuya is as close as a family friend as it gets. He saved my children and their mother. He called me as soon as he got off the phone with 911 would a guilty man have been so shaken over the scene he witnessed? That bastard deserved whatever death he faced for what he did to my wife." He growled his eyes narrowed into hardened slits and he pulled me ever so slightly closer to him with the hand still tightly gripping my shoulder. His declaration surprised me As I looked between him and the police officers.

"were you aware of Kyrri's history of abuse with her father Mr. Kaiba?" he sighed while the other officer began writing down his responses asked.

"Yes, that is the primary reason I moved her in before her eighteenth birthday. Our original plan to be married after graduation and have her moved in then got a little derailed when we found out she was pregnant. She always assured me that her home life wasn't as bad as it seemed but now I believe she was trying to protect him, for what ever reason is beyond me." He said pinching his nose, though I recognized some of what he said as shallow aversions of the truth I could tell that he genuinely had no idea that her problems with her dad were this bad. None of us had.

"Mr. Jounoichi mentioned that she had a brother but her records don't say anything about siblings?" they questioned with clear Confusion. I blanched slightly, of course there was no proof of their paternity seeing how Yami was previously a spirit.

"They Are only half siblings, they have the same father. Mr. Rutherford wasn't her biological father." He explained swiftly and I repressed my sigh.

"Then why don't her father have cutout of her. Why doesn't he live it him?" he demanded narrowing his eyes.

"Their biological father isn't a part of their lives. They have never even met him." Kaiba pinched the bridge of his nose tightly.

"Why not?" The sheriff continued and I knee that Kaiba wasn't long from snapping. He had groan a lot more docile but he was till the most hot tempered guy I knew.

"Kyrri's late mother conceived her at a party when she was very young so she never got to meet her father and he left Yami's mother when Yami was jut a baby." His lie was smooth and I wondered if he had come up its it on the spot.

"Okay well this investigation isn't over yet. Have Miss Rutherford give me a call so we can speak to her when she wakes up. For now I suggest you get your self a lawyer." The sheriff said giving me a pointed look and I relaxed as they handed Kaiba a card and left.

"Thank you so much. I didn't know what to say to make them believe me. They think I did this…" I said my voice shaking slightly at the thought. He frowned.

"don't worry we all know the truth, they jut want one to convict. I'll speak to my lawyer after the lunch hour is over with and I'll get this all straightened out. Until then stay with me at the mansion." He said and cleared his throat.

"What, why?" I asked as he started walking back to her door with me following him.

"it's just… you live so close to… you shouldn't have to… thank you." He said stumbling over his words in a very un-Kaiba like manner. I realized the stem of his generosity and was floored. He was worried about me. Kaiba was actually worried about me being all alone right next door to the crime scene. I smiled for the first time since we had visited the NICU last night.

"No problem money bags. I would do it again. Does this mean were friends now?" I asked with a chuckle and he nodded before he opened the door.

"Just don't infest my house with fleas." He grunted out and I knew our teasing relationship probably wouldn't change too much but that was okay.

Yami was awake now watching his sister quietly while he held her hand. She was still unconscious and her skin was still far too pale. Yami looked up and smiled.

"Good morning Seto." He said and Kaiba nodded once more before he leaned down to softly kiss her four head.

"When do you think she will wake up?" I asked coming up behind them. No one answered me but it was only because none of us really knew.

"How are the babies?" Yami spoke up some time later as he looked up to Kaiba who gave his first smile of the day.

"Well The doctor says that they will need to stay hooked up to the breathing machines for a while before they can breath on their own. I named them this morning…" He said sounding tired as he looked down at his sleeping fiancée and I wondered if he had slept at all throughout the night. Knowing him he probably stayed up all night watching over his family.

"Tell me." A weak voice corked out and we all collectively gasped and looked down to see Kyrri struggling to keep her eyes open as she reached a hand up to Kaiba. He quickly lowered himself down to her side and took her offered hand with a thousand years of worry etched into his brow.

"Baby, oh god." He cried out and buried his head against her chest. Only one sob broke through but his shoulders were trembling ever so slightly.

"It's okay." She said with no conviction and he pulled back like lightning.

"It is most certainly not okay! You almost died. You all almost died. What would I have done without you? If it weren't for Jou I would have lost everything." He barked trying to control the anger on his face. She blanched and bit her lip.

"I'm sorry…" She whispered and he sighed but took her hand back in his own.

"Don't be sorry just realize that you can't keep stuff from me anymore. I'm not asking you to bare all your flaws and relive your whole past but you have to trust me more than this… what were you even doing Kyrri?" he asked giving her a critical glance. She looked away from him for the first time, stopping to smile at her brother and give me a thankful look before she turned back to Seto.

"I wanted to get my baby blanket. It was the only thing my mom made for me, I had thought that if could cut it down into three and red stitch it back up for the babies. I feel so stupid, I thought that if any of you knew what he had done to me in the past you would be disgusted, that you would hate me. Now I just feel like an idiot. I should have told you, I should have asked Yami to come with me." She looked away as much as she could hooked up to all the IVs and heart monitors.

"How could you possibly think that anyone could hate you let alone me?" he said softly and used his free hand to gently turn her face back to look at him. She was crying.

"There's no reason to lie about it now Seto… he's been beating me since I was six. Sometimes it was worse than others, sometimes he was more physical…" She admitted sounding like she was about to break into hysterics. He tensed and I think everyone was holding their breath.

"Nonconsensual…" He gasped referring to what she had said when he found out she was pregnant.

"I'm sorry, for the love of Ra if I could have been there, if I could have stopped it I swear I would." He spoke quietly sounding defeated. I myself felt my stomach lurch again and I knew it would be some time before I could recover from all of this and it wasn't even my life. Kaiba and Kyrri were the ones in the middle of it.

"I know. It's okay, I'm sorry." She said again and her hands drifted to her stomach and she felt around the flatness with a sad look. Seto having noticed this smiled down at her tenderly.

"You were saying something about names were you not?" Yami interjected then looking for the first time since his sister opened her eyes back to Kaiba.

"This is our son, Aiden Koichi Ata Kaiba, he was born at 2:16pm. Twelve ounces and fifteen and a half inches. Other than being on the ventilator he seems as healthy as can be expected they actually are talking about taking him off of it, he is strong. He gets his looks from his uncle." Seto gushed as he held out his phone and I noticed he was showing her totally different photos than the ones he took last night. I peeked over his shoulder to see that Aiden had bright blue eyes just like Kaiba. Kyrri smiled and wiped at a tear that hadn't fallen yet as she touched the screen. He shifted through three more pictures of their son.

"Aiden means little fire, Koichi meaning masculine and Ata means first born. They all have two middle names one to represent the Japanese heritage and one to represent their Egyptian decent and the first names are all English of course." He explained to her as he flicked through his gallery to find a certain picture.

"this is Adalyn Midori Astennu Kaiba. She was Born at 2:18pm and was 9.4 ounces and was fourteen inches. She has a couple of health problems but nothing that isn't expected of a preemie. They are talking about giving her a PDA Ligation, that's a minor heart surgery to correct a valve that didn't have time to form like it should. Nothing is decided though." He explained as she immediately grew worried. This didn't seem to calm her however.

"What does her name mean?" she asked softly, her voice was still very hoarse as if she needed a drink.

"Adalyn means noble, Midori means green and Astennu means goddess of the moon." He explained and showed her a picture of their oldest daughter. Her soft brown curls and surprisingly green tinted eyes made her look beautiful.

"Why are her eyes green?" she asked then looking at the picture closely. Kaiba shrugged.

"I'm not sure love, I have a few distant relatives with green eyes but the color took me by surprise so I honored it in her name." He said and she nodded. Kaiba hesitated before he flicked to the next photo and I leaned even closer now almost touching his shoulder as I peeked over too see.

"This is our miracle baby, her name is Annaliese Noriko Anippe Kaiba. Meaning beautiful, child of order and daughter of the Nile. She was born at 2:22pm and weighed 7.5 ounces and was fourteen inches long. She is fighting right now to stay alive but I have called in some of the best doctors around. A respiratory therapist is on duty or on call twenty four seven incase anything goes wrong." He said quickly to quell her anxiety.

"What's wrong with her? What's this?" she panicked and pointed at the long scar that took up most of her tiny chest.

"Kyrri do you remember what happened?" he asked then and a shadow cast over his face. She shook her head.

"Dad had a knife, I took it and lunged but he took it from me. I don't remember anything after that." She admitted touching her stomach again.

"Kyrri… he stabbed you. Not just you but Annaliese too. The knife went right through her chest. The hospital has since decided that they must have seen wrong during the X-ray but I know what I saw. Somehow she was healed between taking the knife out and the doctors pulling her out." He tried to explain but it was hard to imagine how it happened.

"Did you do it?" she gasped turning pale.

"No they didn't let me in the room during your C-section it was too touch and go. To be honest we don't know what happened but I thought about what Isis told us about when you two were born and how you healed Yami when he was hit with shadow magic. And just look at her hair and eyes." He said but I didn't understand what he meant.

"she looks just like Kyrri? What does that matter?" I asked speaking up for the first time. Seto looked back at me like he forgot I was even there.

"Kyrri wasn't born with black hair and red eyes you know. Neither of them were born with red eyes actually. Isis said that Yami had golden eyes like their father and Kyrri was born with snow white hair and blue eyes but upon being a surged through with shadow magic they changed. Besides Adalyn and Annaliese are suppose to be identical, that means they should look exactly the same." He explained and I nodded though it blew me away that such small babies could handle shadow magic when I myself was just getting used to it.

"That reminds me, look." I said holding my hand out. Kaiba and Yami both sucked in a breath but Kyrri stayed silent.

"What is that, where did you get it?" Yami demanded and I explained how it had appeared during my fight with Kyrri's father and that I thought that maybe I had sent him to the shadow realm. Kyrri didn't seem too bothered by that fact.

"First Kyrri's bracelet and now this? How many items are there that we have no idea about?" Kaiba asked no one in particular because we didn't have the answers or so I thought.

"There are two more rings." Kyrri sighed suddenly and we all looked at her.

"What?" we all asked in unison.

"When I was little, in Egypt that is, I always had this dream where I was talking to a woman through a mirror. She would show me thing that she said were from the past, a crystal empire, technology beyond imagination for me at the time but not like the things we have now because magic and technology seemed somehow intertwined.." She explained looking more and more tired as each minute passed, she cut off for a moment and jut hen I as about to ask what this bad to do with this ring she took my hand in hers.

"three rings and my bracelet. Granted from the gods to the three legendary warriors and the guardian that fueled over that kingdom." She stopped again as if she was trying to remember and her eyes widened a little."

"what?" Yami looked at me in shock before he looked back at her and I knew what everyone was thinking. How had I received this and not someone more qualified like Kaiba or Yami.

"Why didn't you ever say anything about this?" Yami demanded and she shrugged.

"I hadn't thought about it until now. I thought they were legends and I never took it seriously. They came from a empire before Egypt. Somewhere near the sea." She said and yawned then winced severely.

"Why don't I call the nurse and see if they can give you something for the pain and you can get some sleep." Kaiba soothed as he brushed a hand across her brow. She frowned.

"But I want to see them." She whined and tried to sit up this time actually grunting in pain and he gently pushed her down and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"Not now, heal listen to the doctors and I promise I will have them get you a wheel chair up here soon so you can meet them. Their amazing." He gushed and she smiled gently.

"Why don't you just heal me?" she questioned annoyed and he chuckled.

"remember what happened last time you mysteriously healed under the care of the doctors in Domino? Don't worry I already have my family doctor in the know how. Once you have been given the okay to discharge I planned on healing you I just want to keep you out from under the radar until then. You know the media is all over this as it is…" He sighed and I raised a brow, they were?

She groaned and threw an arm over her face in defeat and he called the nurse into the room. She gave Kyrri a once over and then gave her some morphine through her IV and explained that with the broken ribs and stab wound she would probably be on her feet n about three day and able to discharge within a full week. This made her mad but he morphine must have been kicking in because she viable relaxed and laid her head against her pillow.

"Jou." She said softly catching my attention as I stood next to the window glancing at the media storm Kaiba had mentioned outside. I looked up at her to see her smiling a goofy grin.

"Thank you." She said and I smiled.

"Anytime, but hopefully never again." I laughed at her. She closed her eyes then.

"Seto." She asked after some time and he looked up from his laptop and reached out to take her hand.

"Yes?" he asked as she opened her eyes again and gave him an intense look.

"I love you." She said and I think it may have been the first time I had heard her actually say it out loud to him though none of us questioned the fact. Judging by his pleased expression I was right. He put his laptop down and leaned over to kiss her softly.

" and I you princess." He whispered before he sat back down but kept one of her hands in his own. She turned her attention to Yami then who was fiddling with his puzzle. That Yugi had brought t him before she went to bed last night.

"You are my favorite brother you know that?" she asked him and he laughed.

"Aren't I your only brother, what do you want?" he grinned at her loopy state.

"Please tell Kura that I'm okay…" She muttered as her eyes drooped closed and she fell asleep. Yami brushed a strand of her matted tangled hair from her face.

"Finally. I was worried she was going to push herself into staying awake." Kaiba said as he began packing his laptop away.

"I'll talk to her about speaking with the sheriff when she wakes up next. I didn't want to upset her with news of her price of shit father right after everything. I emailed my lawyer who is on stand by if you end up needing him." He said as he looked at me. I was about to thank him when Yami interrupted.

"Why do you need a lawyer?" he asked and I glared at the foot of Kyrri's bed frustrated.

"Right now I'm the prime suspect in the 'murder' of her father and until they can verify I was acting in Kyrri defense that's what their going to think." I told him still feeling angry that they could even insinuate that I would ever hurt Kyrri or her father if he hadn't tried to fucking kill her.

"that's asinine" He proclaimed getting angry himself and I sighed again.

"Here." Kaiba said handing me his keys. I raised my brow at him confused.

"The Ferrari I in the underground parking lot, go home and get what you want from your house for however long you plan to stay and then please go take a shower and throw those clothes away." He griped motioning to my outfit and I looked down and was shocked to remember my clothes were stained with blood now. They were indeed trash and I desperately needed a shower.

"You know you don't have to do this Kaiba. I know your house is probably more crowded now than it has ever been. I'm probably the last person you want in your personal space." I tried to let him off the hook but he stopped me with a pointed look and a hand on my shoulder.

"No, Katsuya I don't want you to have to stay there. Your still in shock, it hasn't hit you yet. Trust me when I say you don't want to be alone so close to where 'it' happened. Besides I owe you. More than my own life and I can never repay you for that." He spoke making sure to look directly into my eyes and I found myself lowering my gaze to the floor. I didn't want to think about it yet, but he was probably right. Every time I closed my eyes I saw her withering around in her own blood, or the x-ray of the knife or I heard her screams of agony.

"Seto, thank you." I said without looking at him again and nearly ran out of the room before it all came crashing down on me.

Seto's POV

"think he will be okay?" I asked surprising Yami as I turned back around. He shrugged.

"I don't know. He's been a mess all night. You two seem closer now." He noted and I smirked.

"The mutt must have finally learned who his master is." I joked earning a punch on the for arm from my future brother in law.

"He knows more about what happened than I do Yami. He was actually there, he risked his life to save hers. And he was the only one who was level headed enough to pick me up last night. I'm not saying were best friends or anything but I wasn't joking when I said I owe him more than I can ever repay." I explained after a moment. Yami watched me but didn't comment.

"What do you think will happen now?" he questioned but I wasn't sure if he meant with Jou and myself, with his injured sister or with this new Item or even if he was referring to Zork.

"I don't know." I admitted frustrated with my inability to envision the future. This reminded me,

"I'll call Isis in a few days. We need to have a meeting anyways, talk about all this. I have a few things to say to her about not giving me any warning about this." I said waving my hand out to my fiancée. He grunted his agreement.

"You should get home to Yugi soon shouldn't you?" I reminded him and he looked up from his puzzle.

"Yeah… I never told her about going to talk to Jiichan… Seto. He is gone." Yami spoke sounding empty and I looked up.

"the shop was closed. Repossessed by the bank according to the letters in the mail. I called Yugi's only other family member, his aunt and she told me he died the day before yesterday. He had a heart attack. The funeral is tomorrow. I didn't have time to tell her last night." I looked up at him as he began chewing hi nails nervously. I was surprised by the feelings this stirred in me. I didn't hold any affection for the stubborn old man but I did care about his granddaughter to some extent and realizing Yugi now had no way to make peace it him reminded me that I was a lucky man. Not just because of the last twenty-four hours but also concerning my mother and sister who I only just found out about.

"what am I suppose to say to her?" he moaned as he buried hi head in his hands.

Ryou's POV

I continued to watch the slow ticking of the hand clock nestled In the kitchen above to sink. My eyes felt dry, almost as if sand was packed beneath my stiff lids. Right now it was ten thirty seven and twenty two seconds in the morning. I had been sitting here stiff as a statue since sometime around three thirty in the morning when I had woken up curled safely into Bakura's arms. Though I hadn't felt the same warm and safe like such…canoodling usually invoked in me.

No when I had woke up covered in a cold sheen of sweat I sat frozen in complete and utter shock, I hadn't even screamed as I would with a normal nightmare giving my yami no chance no opportunity to sooth my fears.

I was secretly very glad for this outcome. I had been trying so hard to keep my distance from him lately. It was always a battle between giving in to the feelings he caused in me and running away like a scared kid. I had no idea what he actually thought of me anymore.

I checked the time again even though my unblinking eyes had not strayed even a fraction of an inch front the clear surface of the clock, I didn't have the time to focus on the numbers. It was ten thirty eight, time was ticking by agonizingly slow.

"Don't delay my pet, the time grows near." The hiss that rolled across my skin gave me a chill and I shivered under the thick Afghan throw I had draped over my shoulders. I clenched my eyes closed tightly while my heart rate soared.

"No I wont." I gasped feeling like my head was going to split in two due to the amount of pressure that I felt like I was about to collapse under. I couldn't give in to this demons demands. I was free now. Whatever Zork evil plans were I no longer wanted to be a part of them, as if I had ever wanted to...

Suddenly my body went rigid and my eyes wide. I wanted to scream for help but I had been rendered mute as I felt my legs marched forward from where I had been standing and to the counter where my hands ripped open a kitchen drawer.

I fought with everything I had but as usual I was too weak willed, my own arm reached out and grabbed the knife laying directly on top. The blade glistened in my hand.

I turned, panic sweat through me as I stared mutely at the hallway leading to me bed room door where Kura was still sleeping peacefully.

"Don't ever make the mistake of thinking you are free." Zork roared in my mind and I took a step forward. I tried to fight, tried to run the opposite out of the house and never return. I had known for some time this wouldn't work, I was too much a danger to e everyone I loved.

"don't ever believe you deserve better than my torture. You belong to me." He growled as tendrils of slimy darkness materialized all around me. On my neck, my stomach, my arms and legs. Everywhere he held me down was like a thousand blades piercing into my soft skin.

I fought against him in the only way I knew how. With my thoughts.

"I don't belong to you." I whispered though I had wanted to scream but it had been nearly impossible to force even that out.

"who would you belong to besides me? Who would want ruined garbage like you?" He growled and I could feel the memory of claws against my skin and his hot tongue grazing my face like a thousand razorblades.

An image of Bakura flashed through my mind then, his hair pulled back sloppily falling into his eyes while he bent over a some text book that he only read because of me in the first place. He had looked up when he saw me and a bright smile had replaced his concentrated focus, a smile so big and happy and dare I say it full of love it had floored me. This though gave me strength, I belonged to someone. Someone amazing.

This thought enraged Zork as he all but appeared before me only slightly misty. He was half way between his full demonic form and a humanoid form. Tears escaped my eyes as dread filled my stomach and my blood ran cold.

"YOU ARE MINE! YOU WILL NEVER BE MORE THAN MY PATHETIC SLAVE." He screamed but it was only for my ears. My arm started to move and a moment of relief washed over me, I had distracted his attention from Bakura, all his focus now on me.

I didn't even look as I felt my arm holding the blade take it and slash it against my other arm. I stared him directly in his soulless bloody eyes without fear.

"You will obey me or I will kill your other half. I have a body thanks to my time with you. Next time you even think about fighting me I will come here and fucking destroy him, after I have some fun." He glanced towards t he bedroom and I knee his intentions. I felt weak in the knees from loos of blood.

"What would you have me do?" I caved and lowered my head. He laughed, the founding sickening.

"I require the child." He hissed moving closer to me. My eyes widened a fraction. There weren't many children within our group of people, and they all happened to be Kaiba's.

"The girl, the one who touched death. She will be mine, her life belongs to me." He spoke clearly his voice calculating. I realized what he was talking about.

"But she's just a baby!" I yelled, though it still came out more like a broken gasp.

"She belongs to me, she would not have her life if I didn't need her." My eyes widened at his declaration. He had been the one to save her life, but for what? What kind of life would she live with his darkness inside her? A life no better than mine, maybe worse.

I wanted to say no, I wanted to attack him or run away or scream Bakura's name but I didn't do any of those thing. In fact I didn't move, but he knew my answer. In trade for Bakura's safety I would do what ever it took.

Zork grinned like a Cheshire cat and began to evaporate. I didn't even have time to recover let alone break down and sob. I heard the bedroom door open. I had maybe three seconds but I didn't move, I was too afraid. All I was able to manage was to drop the knife on the kitchen floor.

Bakura snapped his head around the corner then with a startled look. His eyes widened and he rushed forward to grab my arm.

"What the hell Ryou, what happened." He asked sounding angry but I could clearly see that he was only worried. His mahogany eyes looked into my own with question.

"Why would you do this to your self? I thought you were getting better!" He continued as he checked the severity of the wound looking more and more angry.

"I… I… blacked out." I lied, how could I tell him the truth? I couldn't, wouldn't, what ever time I had left before Zork completed his plan I refused to spend with him hating me. His eyes softened a degree and he pulled me to the kitchen sink where he ran cool water over the wound. To rinse the blood then I felt the tingle as it began to seal and when I pulled back there was just a long jagged pink line.

"When you first got the ring, when I was little more than a monster I would black out when Zork was done with me. Many of the things I regret doing the most happened in such a state. Somehow I thought that if I could just transfer my suffering onto someone else then I could somehow cope better. This is all still so fresh for you. I forget that sometimes." He said softly and wrapped an arm around me taking me back to bed. He began to tuck me in.

Panic swelled through me and I reached up and grabbed his face with both hands. He froze slightly shocked. I don't know where my boldness had came from but u pulled him down as I leaned up to meet him. For a first kiss, it was everything I had imagined it would be. Warm, full of pent up passion, desperate almost.

He gasped against my lips and I took that opportunity. I had to fuel this fire, this burning need for him in this moment. I realized I had no idea how much time I had left before Zork would inevitably dispose of me when I had reached my usefulness.

"I love you." I pulled back just long enough to make sure he knew. This made him groan against me as he crawled more fully into the bed to lean above me and devour my lips hungrily. My head was spinning and I was in a precious moment of pure bliss.

"Ryou?" he questioned as he found the sense to pull away and look at me. His eyes were tender, full of happiness but he was confused.

"I can't waste anymore time with you. Please." I tried to explain and I pulled him back down by the collar of his shirt. His kisses became more desperate as he shifted down my jaw line and onto m neck.

I sighed softly, no matter what faced me this moment was perfect. He pulled away again and I opened my eyes to see a hungry look swimming in his rich chocolate pools.

"I love you too." He admitted and a half smile reached his face. I ran a hand under his shirt feeling his toned muscles and he shivered beneath me. He still hesitated.

"Kura, please. I need you." I begged and whatever he was fighting with I must have won because he leaned down with no reservations effectively distracting me.

Some time later I listened to his heart beat rhythmically underneath the warm skin of his chest. He was running his fingers through my now tangled hair.

"Ryou?" he whispered, and I shivered against him looking up into his eyes. They were lighter now, almost as if whatever pain had been left under the surface of his deep brown eyes had disappeared with the declaration of my love. This made the corners of my mouth loft up ever so slightly as I grunted out my acknowledged that he had spoken.

"You have to tell me what's wrong." He said then shifting to lean against head board. I scooted back.

"Nothing is wro…" I started but he placed a finger over my lips to silence me giving me a look.

"Don't give me that shit Ryou. I know you well enough by now to know that you have been pushing me away this whole time. Why so suddenly did you change your mind?" he asked, his voice lowering a degree at the end and I sighed. Sometimes he was too bloody perceptive.

"Nothing Kura." I said and tried to lean forward using my new knowledge of distraction by planting a kiss on his swollen lips. He stayed still as stone though as I tried to mold my lips around his own.

"Dint lie to me damn it." He pushed me a little roughly and I flinched. His eyes softened.

"I'm not." I tried feeling darkness falling over me again and I saw how his eyes shifted into real anger then. He flew out of the bed still nude and whirled around on me like a mad man.

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW HIS TRICKS? That I can't tell that he has been all over you? I spent five thousand years being tortured by that demon and you honestly think for one second that you could hide from me that he is still with you?" He demanded yelling at first and then his voice evaporated Into almost defeat.

"Bakura! I… I swear I'm trying to fight it." I yelled grabbing my head. How long had he known? All this time I thought I was protecting him from me but he knew. He had always known.

"This isn't how you fight. Hiding, lying, how can you turn around and make all the mistakes I made?" he crossed his arms over his chest looking away, I knew his anger was gone. I felt so ashamed to have thought I could hide this from him.

"But what I really don't understand is how you could use me like this? Like I wouldn't recognize your desperation was not for me but to distract me…" He glared at nothing, he wouldn't look at me. I reached for him but he flinched away.

"I might be some pawn for you to use but I will never be involved in Zork plans again. I earned my freedom. I had thought you would too but until you decide that your better, like you said all those months ago, until you decide to make the right choice you're no better than him." His words were like a knife in my chest, all true. I had wanted to be with him, of course I had but not for the right reasons. I had merely used him to wipe off the feelings Zork had left behind.

"And the thing that just floors me Ryou… I actually love you. Even now knowing that you are capable of using me... I've heard you muttering in your sleep, I've heard you reply to his whispers. I'VE SEEN YOU LOOSE CONTROL AND NEARLY PUSH KYRRI DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS BUT YOU STOPPED! I TRUSTED YOU TO FIGHT THIS. I BELIEVED IN YOU RYOU! You are the first person I have ever believed in…" I watched as he went from whispering to screaming and back to whispering again. I didn't reach for him this time. My face had fallen into an emotionless mask. I could feel Zork's breath on my neck, I felt a clawed hand place itself on my shoulder. Bakura eyes widened a fraction of a degree and I knew what I had to do. Letting him go was the only option now. I reached a shaking hand up and placed it over the demons hand. I held Bakura's eyes, he had to know right here and right now that whatever we could have had was over now. I had made my choice.

He backed away, real fear evident as he shook. He started picking up clothes from the floor without looking and ran without giving me a second look. What ever had been left of my heart shattered in that moment, cold darkness weaved over every inch of my skin as an empty sigh left my lips like a last breath.

"I knew you would come around." Zork whispered and a shiver ran down my spine. He was taking complete control now. I realized that this was the very last moment that I existed as Ryou, a tear slipped down my cheek as we began to evaporate Into thin air. For some reason I cackled out a crazed laugh, I ad the monster now.

Bakura's POV

Tears poured hot from my eyes as I ran towards Kaiba's mansion. Somehow I realized he wouldn't be there and I debated if I should change direction and head to the hospital. I stopped in the road, luckily no cars were there to platter me on the pavement.

I grabbed my head on each side absolutely lost in my grief. I could feel the air around me pinning faster and faster, like my feelings completely out of control but I really didn't care.

That was when my phone started to ring in my pocket, the ins stopped, a few pieces of paper and other debris fell around me. I answered without looking, relieved that something had pulled me from the storm raging inside my heart.

"What?" I barked, defensively being an ass. Though an idiot would have heard the quiver in my voice and the sound of my gasping.

"Bakura are you okay?" Yami asked sounding surprised. I didn't want to explain this to anyone, I didn't like sharing my feelings but logically I knew they needed to know this and a as much as I hated to admit it I needed a friend.

"No…" I cried out a new wave of fear and sadness washing over me.

"Where are you?" Kaiba's voice suddenly barked, I assumed he had taken the phone and I wondered idly if the priest was actually worried about me. I looked around and spat off the street names of the corner I had stopped at.

"We will be right there." He said hanging up. My head was spinning. Didn't he have better places to be than babying me? I shook my head glancing around paranoid. I was sure Zork would be around any corner waiting to pounce.

Thinking of how Ryou had looked sent a new wave of sorrow through me. His eyes had turned n ugly shade of red not like Kyrri's, more muddied and dull. While his face had shifted into a hateful glint, he looked nothing like my Ryou. Zork had him and there had been nothing I could do right from the beginning to stop him. I felt like a fool.

I tried to convince myself that our moment of passion hadn't affected me but it was just as much a reason for me tears as my fear for myself and my hikari.

I had known when he pulled me to his lips he was stalling. Trying to distract me from the truth. But I had known he was struggling with the darkness I could recognize it in his eyes and actions. I had been there before. But I stupidly thought that if I showed him the depth of my feelings I could save him. I had bared my soul to him, all for the offering. Professed my undying love and worshiped his body just for him to choose to be my enemy. I felt like a Ra be damned fool. I felt like a stupid heartbroken child.

I heard the squeal of wheels and looked up to see a limo. The door swung open before it came to a complete stop and I wasted no time crawling in. Kaiba was alone, he was my only rescuer.

"Bakura you have to tell me what's wrong. Your ring is going haywire. We could feel the surge of Shadow magic from the hospital." He said grabbing my shoulders to shake me slightly. I began sobbing, absolutely unable to answer him. I hadn't even noticed my ring glowing warmly against my chest. I didn't even remember grabbing it, and as I glanced down through my watery gaze I could see I had grabbed Ryou clothes and not my own. I wore one of his trade mark striped tee shirts and a pair of baggy cargo jeans that were black.

"Bakura!" Kaiba shouted, sounding angry and concerned all at the same time. I looked into his worried azure eyes and took a deep breath, surely Kaiba had never seen me quite like this. Months of fear and worry for my hikari had bubbled to the surface. Everything I had bottled up once I had begun this charade that I was a normal teenager was loose and spiraling out of control.

"I thought I could save him." I yowled and grabbed wads full of my alabaster hair tugging roughly. He grabbed my hands and got much closer to my face than he had ever been before making me look at him again.

"What happened?" he asked again in a calm and leveled voice. I was shocked at how very different this Kaiba was than who he had been before Kyrri came.

"He is gone Kaiba. He made his choice." I tried explaining but I was being too vague and I knew it. I took a breath and told him what happened. I spared only the nitty-gritty details but explained how I felt used, like he had planned this somehow.

When I risked a glance back at the priest he was barely containing his rage.

"How dare that fucking twat. We saved him from that monster. You waited on him hand and foot for months while he recovered. I knew there was something wrong with him, Kyrri convinced me not to worry about it but I knew! Bakura, I wish there was something I could have done." He finished his rant with a meaningful look, my tears had dried and I felt my eyes widen. Why was he being so nice, I mean sure we were on much better terms and while I found him hilarious at times it was my under my impression he merely tolerated me.

"Kaiba, are you angry at him for hurting me?" I asked unable to help myself, itching to understand him. Of course I was aware he was changing into someone better than who he had been before but I just never expected this reaction. I never thought I would be confiding in Seto Kaiba of all people and that he would actually care. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

" No, yes… I don't know. I've considered you an ally for some time now, things are changing so fast. Just when I think I have a grip on who I am everything turns upside down again. But becoming a father, facing almost loosing my family taught me one very valuable lesson. I need people, I can't do this alone anymore." He said and I found myself confused by his confession. I must have made a face a my brows knit together in contemplation he didn't turn to face me but his facial expression was far off, like he was eons older and his eyes turn an almost navy blue.

"I consider you to be a friend Bakura, as funny as that seems. You have tried harder than anyone to change. You push yourself far beyond your limit. I've watched you fight for your place in this new and strange world. You deserve better than this." He finished looking out the window very thoughtfully. I was taken away by his kind words. Why couldn't Ryou have seen all that.

"Kaiba… I don't know what to say." I managed over the lump in my throat. He turned back to me with a smirk.

"I tend to have that effect on people." He boasted sounding every bit of the asshole I knew he would always be and I actually found myself smiling even though I felt like dying.

"Just do one thing for me Bakura." He started as he opened the door to the limo and I saw we were at the hospital. There was a crowd of reporters led in front of the doors that lead to the emergency room.

"What's that?" I asked as we stepped out of the car. He groaned at the sight of all the cameras and microphones.

"Don't shut yourself off like you did before. Kyrri loves you like a brother. You are just as much a part of our weird family as myself or her, even the mutt has his place." He whispered leaning closer so no one could hear him. I nodded just as the rush of reports reached us. He straightened his face back into his cold mask.

"Mr. Kaiba do you have any comments of the condition of your girlfriend?"

"Were you keeping your relationship a secret because of her age or because of her illegitimate status?"

"Can you give us any details on the death of her father?"

"Mr. Kaiba the public has a right to know, why are you protecting the assailant?"

"rumors have surfaced that Miss Rutherford became pregnant on purpose do you deny these claims.?"

"Mr. Kaiba is it true that you met this woman in a prostitution ring and that her father sold drugs?"

So many voices assaulted us all at once all the while Kaiba's jaw set tighter and tighter. When the last reporter shoved her microphone in his face her snapped.

"You'll do well to never refer to my fiancée in such a manor! No more questions!" He roared and several of the reporters took a step back. He glared daggers at the rest until they cleared a path for us. When we reached the door he turned pinching the bridge of his nose.

" tomorrow at nine am I'll be holding a press conference at Kaiba corp. All questions of relevance will be answered then… now get out of my sight before I call the police!" He yelled and turned harpy with a swish of his ostentatious trench coat.

"Fuck those vermin." I sneered when the glass doors closed behind us.

"I've gotten pretty used to being in the lime light, but it's never like this. Scandal of the century, Seto Kaiba world's most eligible bachelor, known to hate everyone. My image is ruined." He laughed and I gave him credit for trying to find humor in this situation.

"Is it that bad?" I asked as we reached the elevator. He held his head against the wall.

"Worse. No one if focusing on the tragedy of this. The only thing they seem to care about is the fact that I'm turning twenty-four next month and she is still seventeen, the fact that I hid our relationship for all this time and the fact that her family history has already been blasted all over the internet. The only thing saving me from statutory rape charges is the fact that she turns eighteen in two months. My lawyer already has his hands full without Jou's case." He finished explaining as the elevator opened.

"what for?" I questioned while we went up to the sixth floor. When the doors opened I was a little confused.

"at this moment Jou is their prime suspect, but Kyrri woke up this morning and once she talks to the police it should be cleared up, the lawyer is just a precautionary measure." He explained and I thought about this while we walked.

"Where are we going?" I asked as he started walking much faster than before. I was taking three steps for every one of his. He just grinned at me.

"I need to calm down before I go back to see Kyrri. I know just the place." He said with a grin. I saw the large rounded glass and smiled.

"we have to wash up before we can go in. He said motioning to a wash up area. Though I had actually already thought of this, I blamed all the medical books. Once we were done he opened the nursery door and smiled at me.

The three incubators were off to the side now all close together giving Kaiba a whole half of the room for his large litter of offspring.

As we got closer he pointed to the first bed. "This is Aiden my son." His voice was full of pride. He opened the door and softly lifted Aiden out of his little plastic dome and my eyes widenned.

"Aiden is the only one who can breath on his own. The nurses have assured me he is strong, he eats well and that holding him is good for his development. In short spurts." He explained as he watched his child in a way that I could only describe as awe struck, making me so curious that I leaned all the way over to stare at him.

Aiden's face wasn't pale but it wasn't tanned either, still rather pink as well but already his little cheeks had color and the slightest pudge to them. He had Kaiba nose and chin and as he opened his bleary eyes I noted he had his eyes as well.

Kaiba pulled the hat off and even thought I had seen a picture of him as a newborn even only a day later I could see the difference black spiky fuzz with the slightest hint of a reddish purple and two curly blonde whips on each side.

"What's his middle name?" I asked touching his soft hair ever so slightly.

"Aiden Koichi Ata Kaiba." He answered. I grinned wider, for the moment my own problems forgotten.

He sifted his son back down slowly and into his bed. Aiden acted as if nothing had happened and closed his eyes again suckling on his thumb.

I looked into the next bed curious and I could see how she was a little smaller than her brother. She wasn't wearing a hat since she had a small tube going down her nose and an IV in her arm. I frowned.

"This is Adalyn Midori Astennu, she isn't ready to breath so this is the ventilator. She is eating , out of a bottle not a feeding tube but not as much as Aiden." He pointed to the tube in her nose and I nodded. She had fuzzy brown curls.

"Why Midori?" I asked and he touched the incubator.

"Her eyes are green." He answered since she wasn't cooperating as she was sound asleep. I looked up at the third crib and back at Kaiba worried. His expression mirrored mine as we stepped around Adalyn's bed.

"This is Annaliese Noriko Anippe Kaiba." He whispered and his old man look returned as he placed both hands on her plastic shield

"She's so tiny!" I exclaimed in shock. She had a tube in her nose and mouth, an iv, a heart monitor. I only recognized these things because of my future plans and I was shocked

"She can't breath on her own, she is a too small to eat without the feeding tube and her immune system is compromised so right now she is receiving antibiotics to prevent infection in her lungs and tomorrow she has an ultrasound to look at her heart, they suspect their to be a hole, so she might have to have surgery, the door called it a PDA ligation." His voice cracked at the end of his explanation and he learned little more on the incubator.

"I'm sorry." I spoke with out actually looking at him. I was still transfixed on Annaliese. So very tiny and frail, but already so much like Kyrri with her wispy black hair. Her eyes were wide open as she almost seemed to look directly at me which was strange because babies shouldn't be able to see this early I thought. Her eye were the same brilliant crimson as her mother's and it took me by complete surprise. I glanced at the pink scar and found myself happy she was alive.

"Everything will be okay. She already defied death once, I bet she's a fighter." I comforted and my statement seemed to actually sooth him.

"Thank you." He replied and I nodded.

"let go see Kyrri now. She's dying to see you." He said and then he whispered farewell to his children one at a time. I tried to look away to give him his privacy but it was too touching a moment for me to ignore, never in five thousand years had I thought I would find my self here. My life had turned and twisted and some here along the way along side the pain and the heart break beautiful thing had taken root.

A wide grin stretched onto my face, this might actually have been the first time I had realized that I had a life, all my own. Even if I had wanted Ryou to be a part of it his absence didn't sentence me to the loss of my freedom to live in this world.

Still, this didn't quell my fear that a shadow was cast over me and t he people I cared about. I couldn't shake the feeling that this as only just the beginning.

AN) Well there is chapter twenty two. I hope everyone liked it. Things are about to go down.


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